Vancouver used to be an NBA city that the Grizzlies franchise once called home. However, it's been a while since an actual NBA game was played in the city. This is why fans were understandably passionate when the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Clippers met for their preseason duel.
It was a loud and fun affair for all the basketball fans involved, but Dwain Price took special notice of the fans' battle cry during the game. It was a passionate call for the league to bring back their team.
The sellout crowd is now chanting: "We Want The Grizzlies." Well, the Grizzlies played in Vancouver from 1995 before leaving for Memphis in 2001.
— Dwain Price (@DwainPrice) October 18, 2019
The Grizzlies spent six seasons in Vancouver, BC before making the move to Memphis. There wasn't anything significant that happened during the team's first years, but they provided quality entertainment to the fans who went to every single game. They were surely gutted when the team decided to pack their bags and leave for the States.
Trevor Jones had passionate words about what the Grizzlies meant to the team.
“I don’t know much about Memphis, but when I think about Memphis, I don’t think about basketball,” he said, via the National Post. “The Grizzlies are Vancouver. ‘Memphis Grizzlies’ doesn’t even sound cool compared to the Vancouver Grizzlies.”
However, their appeals for the Grizzlies' return isn't the only thing that happened during the game.
Kawhi Leonard suited up for his first bit of preseason action this season, and the fans were more than happy to welcome him back. After all, he's the main reason why the Toronto Raptors, the only Canadian team in the league, even made the playoffs.
Vancouver reminded the league that they're still a basketball town. And their appeal might get them an NBA team sooner rather than later.
Follow Us
Subscribe