This is the 25th season of the Grizzlies in Memphis. To commemorate the anniversary, “Grizzlies 25” will count down the greatest players in Memphis Grizzlies history throughout the season. 

A new player is featured every week.

No. 25: Steven Adams was a Grizzly for a good time, not a long time

No Memphis Grizzlies player has ever made as big an impact while scoring so little. Read about “AquaMane."

No. 24: Santi Aldama brought familiar Spanish spice to team’s new recipe

Santi Aldama is perhaps the truest embodiment of the team’s penchant for the unexpected move up for an unexpected target. Read more about the player known for his reverse dunk.

No. 23: Courtney Lee cast a ‘tiny’ shadow but made big shots

Courtney Lee may have been the most anonymous good player in Memphis Grizzlies history. But one Lee moment, at least, was unforgettable. Read more about Courtney Lee.

No. 22: Kyle Anderson played with his own style, at his own speed

It should come as no surprise that the man dubbed “Slow Mo” is one of nine players in Grizzlies history among the franchise’s top 20 in rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. Read more about “Slow Mo.”

No. 21: For 10 momentous playoff minutes, Darrell Arthur found basketball perfection

Some players pile up great moments throughout their career and some are remembered for rising up and just having one. Read more about Darrell Arthur.

No. 20: Jonas Valanciunas had a big personality to match his big game

At his best, Jonas Valanciunas had a Zach Randolph game in a Marc Gasol package: a walking, talking Ga-Z-Bo. Read more about Jonas Valanciunas.

No. 19: Stromile Swift was a blast but grounded by ‘Strotential'

The Stro Show started fewer than 100 games in his NBA career, never averaged a dozen points in a season, but still ranks in the top 20 in franchise history in points, rebounds, steals and blocks. Read more about Smith.

No. 18: Tyus Jones was a needed old soul on a brash, young team

Ja Morant was instantly the engine of the Grizzlies, and Tyus Jones was something more than just his caddy. Only 23 years old when he signed with the team, Jones was already a four-year vet and a noted “old soul.” Read more about Tyus Jones. 

No. 17: Brandon Clarke is perhaps the team’s all-time top ‘sixth man’

If you can’t be the man, it’s good to complement the man. Brandon Clarke has meshed well with the top players of his Grizzlies era. Read more about Brandon Clarke.

No. 16: O.J. Mayo rained jumpers for four drama-filled Memphis seasons

A once heralded prep prospect, O.J. Mayo arrived in the NBA with a compact, high-elevation jumper that’s among the smoothest FedExForum has ever seen. Read more about O.J. Mayo.

No. 15: Dillon Brooks always put on a show, to sometimes mixed reviews

Dillon Brooks was many things. But mostly, he was just a lot. Read more about Dillon “The Villain.”

No. 14: James Posey defined the franchise’s first good team

Although James Posey wasn’t technically a single-season player for the Memphis Grizzlies, he’s the best single-season story in franchise history. Read more about James Posey.

No. 13: Jason Williams was basketball chaos, for good or ill, on the court or in the postgame locker room

Williams might sail an eye-popping pass through the defense for a layup no one else could see was possible, or he might swipe a reporter’s pen. Read more about Jason Williams.

No. 12: Lorenzen Wright completed a singular Memphis basketball journey

The late Lorenzen Wright was a homegrown star, a McDonald’s All-American at Booker T. Washington High, who played for Larry Finch at the University of Memphis, before joining the Grizzlies. Read more about Lorenzen Wright.

No. 11: Mike Miller’s jump shot was one version of basketball beauty

Mike Miller averaged 14 points off the bench for the 49-win 2005-2006 Grizzlies, winning the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award, one of only five Grizzlies to receive one of the NBA’s major annual awards. Read more about Mike Miller.

No. 10: Rudy Gay may have been the best big-shot maker in Grizzlies history

Before the Memphis Grizzlies called “12,” they called “22.” With four career buzzer-beaters, Gay logged more than, to name just a few players: Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, George Gervin, Isaiah Thomas, Julius Erving, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson. Read more about Rudy Gay. 

No. 9: Shane Battier was the first true Memphis Grizzly and authored the franchise’s greatest encore

The Memphis Grizzlies had never won a playoff game until Shane Battier’s second run with the franchise. Then he buried that burden with one big shot. Read more about Shane Battier.

No. 8: Desmond Bane wasn’t drafted to be a star. He became one anyway.

The Grizzlies were able to get Desmond Bane with a late pick they didn’t even have for the price of a couple of future second-round picks and the willingness to take on a few million dollars of empty salary. In acquiring Bane, the Grizzlies came about as close as you can get to conjuring a franchise pillar out of thin air. Read more about Desmond Bane. 

No. 7: Tony Allen was a spectacle, but also a special defender

Tony Allen wasn’t just a Grizzlies legend. On the defensive end of the floor, he was one of the greats. Read more about Tony Allen. 

No. 6: As franchise’s first All-Star, Pau Gasol did it all

The Grizzlies’ first star may still be the franchise’s most under-appreciated one. Click here to read more about Pau Gasol.

No. 5: Jaren Jackson Jr. wasn’t in Memphis ‘forever,’ but he made his time matter

Jaren Jackson Jr. took the baton, becoming a franchise star of another era. Years later, he was traded during a transition to a new era. Click here to read more about Jaren Jackson Jr. 

No. 4: Ja Morant’s peak years were a mountain of unforgettable moments

Ja Morant boasts the franchise’s single-game scoring record, with the highlight-packed 52 points he had against the San Antonio Spurs in 2022. Click here to read more about Ja Morant.

No. 3: Mike Conley ran a Memphis marathon and won it

When Mike Conley left the Memphis Grizzlies, he was the franchise’s all-time leading scorer and also the career leader in games played, 3-pointers, assists and steals. There he remains. Click here to read more about Mike Conley.