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Memphis Grizzlies: Continually Shaped By Veteran Leadership

By Blake Monroe

MEMPHIS, TN - APRIL 6: Vince Carter #15 of the Sacramento Kings and Mike Conley #11 of the Memphis Grizzlies talk before the game on April 6, 2018 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
MEMPHIS, TN - APRIL 6: Vince Carter #15 of the Sacramento Kings and Mike Conley #11 of the Memphis Grizzlies talk before the game on April 6, 2018 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Memphis Grizzlies have had some iconic veteran players on their roster over the years that were no longer in their prime. Why?

What can veteran players add to a team in today’s NBA? Most teams in the league are built solely on a young roster that they can develop over many years.

This being said, what is the point in having older players no longer in their prime on a team, especially from the Memphis Grizzlies‘ perspective?

The Grizzlies have been fortunate enough to have older, veteran players such as Vince Carter, Zach Randolph, and Tony Allen play for them. Not all of them played their careers’ best days while in Memphis. Vince Carter became “Vinsanity” with the Toronto Raptors at a young age. However, Memphis has offered a unique role to each of these guys in which they thrived after accepting.

Young Roster. Same Mentality.

What did these players offer to a team whose average age is 25? The answer is simple. Leadership.

All three of these players had something to offer a younger team as well as those that had played for Memphis for a while. They had insight from their careers. Also, they had a skill set from a different generation of players. There was also a great level of determination.

All of these players, and any player that has ever been on the roster for the Memphis Grizzlies no matter the age, has had the determination to play their very best and do what they can to better the Grizzlies franchise.

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The Memphis Grizzlies became a top Western Conference contender during all three of these players’ tenure playing beside players like Mike Conley, Marc Gasol, and Rudy Gay (to name a few). It is their leadership and example, along with these other veteran players, that have set the bar for what is expected of the Grizzlies franchise. “Grit and Grind” is a mentality built upon these veteran players.

With this being the mentality set for the future, it will continue to take veteran leadership to reach current goals — such as more trips to the postseason. Now in a new era of Grizzlies basketball, Conley and Gasol are leading contributors in the veteran leadership category. A lot of weight is now placed on their shoulders — both on and off the court.

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