Hill: Who are these Grizzlies? We are about to find out.
“I honestly feel like this is one of the best rosters that we have had on paper, depth-wise,” Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant said Monday, Sept. 30. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)
Drew Hill
Drew Hill covers the Memphis Grizzlies and is a top-10 APSE winner. He has worked throughout the South writing about college athletics before landing in Memphis.
Just a few weeks ago, as the players began to return to Memphis for the start of the new season, rookie Jaylen Wells was wandering Cordelia’s Market on Mud Island when a fan approached him for a photograph.
“Hey, my name is John,” the man said, with a hat shading the front of his face. “I’m a big Grizzlies fan. Do you mind if I get a picture?”
Herrington: Last season, the Grizzlies felt like ‘losers.’ They’re ready to turn the page.
Wells, happy to be recognized, agreed to the photo and snapped it. He went about his business when only a few moments later, the cashier, Mitch, had to come over to break the news to him.
“He was like, ‘You know who you just took a picture with, right?’” Wells said.
“I responded and said, ‘I don’t know. John?’
“He said, ‘No. That’s your teammate, John Konchar.’”
Whoops!
Ja Morant has new Downtown mural, Nike commercial
It was the perfectly executed prank. And had Mitch not said something, it probably would have made for a second hilarious interaction in the locker room a day later.
But that may be the perfect media day story to capture the essence of this Memphis Grizzlies preseason.
It’s the question everyone wants to know.
Who are these guys? Or better: What are these guys?
Topics
Memphis Grizzlies Media Day Subscriber OnlyThank you for supporting local journalism.
Subscribers to The Daily Memphian help fund our not-for-profit newsroom of nearly 40 local journalists plus more than 20 freelancers, all of whom work around the clock to cover the issues impacting our community. Subscriptions - and donations - also help fund our community access programs which provide free access to K-12 schools, community organizations, and more. Thank you for making our work possible.
Related stories
Grizzlies season outlook: Can staff changes get Memphis over the hump?
The Grizzlies invested in player development with coaching changes this offseason. But can this new group of assistants solve the problem that has held the franchise back?
Grizzlies star Ja Morant ‘excited’ about new players, new season
Morant spoke Downtown as he and other Grizzlies helped pack more than 53,000 meals with Meals of Hope, a nonprofit organization that helps combat community hunger.
Ja Morant says Nike Ja 2s push him towards No. 1
Ja Morant and Nike rolled out the Ja 2 sneakers. His latest signature shoe pushes him towards goal No. 1: dominating on the court.
Want to comment on our stories or respond to others? Join the conversation by subscribing now. Only paid subscribers can add their thoughts or upvote/downvote comments. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.