The Memphis Grizzlies are currently in the midst of the Ja Morant era, although that has temporarily been put on hold due to the star point guard's season-ending surgery sustained shortly after he returned from suspension this year, but it wasn't that long ago that the team was defined by its Grit ‘N Grind era, led by Mike Conley, Zach Randolph, and of course Marc Gasol. During his time with the Grizzlies, Gasol established himself as one of the best centers in the NBA, winning a (controversial) defensive player of the year award in 2013 and helping lead his squad on several deep runs into the playoffs.
Recently, it was announced that Gasol will have his jersey retired by the franchise following this upcoming Saturday's home game vs the Philadelphia 76ers, and now, Gasol is getting one hundred percent real on the bond he shares with Randolph, Conley, and defensive maestro Tony Allen, all of whom were key members of those Grizzlies teams.
“When you look into each other’s eyes, everything goes back to our bond and who we are,” said Gasol, per Michael Wallace of Grind City Media. “It’s crazy that whenever I see Zach, Tony or Mike, there’s something in your system that just brings you back instantly to those connections. It’s truly like a family reunion because you’ve been through so much together, good and bad. The trust level connects on a much, much deeper level than some other relationships you may have. You’ve seen the true character of each other. Being truthful and honest about the work you’re putting in, that’s what we were able to do with our group of guys. We were always so honest with each other, where we were able to create a bond that will last forever.”
A new era in Memphis
As previously mentioned, the Grizzlies were defined by their defensive toughness and tenacity during the era led by Gasol, Randolph, Conley and Allen. That group made several deep inroads into the NBA playoffs, including a run all the way to the Western Conference Finals during the 2013 season, where they were unceremoniously swept by the San Antonio Spurs.
The last time the Grizzlies would make it out of the second round in the Gasol days was in 2015, when they were sent home in a competitive series vs the eventual champion Golden State Warriors in what was the first year of that franchise's dynastic run. Many maintain that had Mike Conley not gotten hurt early in that series, things may have turned out a bit differently, although it should be noted that the Grizzlies benefited from some injury luck of their own during some of their playoff runs.
Now, the Grizzlies are officially in a new era led by electric point guard Ja Morant, who has led the team on three trips to the postseason, including making it to Game 6 of the second round in 2022, where they were (once again) sent home by the Warriors. In any case, it's good to see the franchise honoring its legends of the past.
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