The Memphis Grizzlies do not mind being different. They want the NBA world to take notice in each and every way, including their home court.
The 2018-19 NBA season is here. Basketball is back. The Memphis Grizzlies will play their first preseason exhibition game on Tuesday when they face the Houston Rockets.
There is plenty to label as “different” for the Grizzlies in the new season. Though there were some major changes with the team this time last year, a lot has changed over the course of the offseason.
The bench is much improved. The squad has greater depth, especially when you consider the versatility at every position. However, Memphis did not make changes in order to align with the rest of the league.
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While teams are bulking up on scoring power and focusing on running up numbers on the scoreboard, the Grizzlies are going against that game plan. They have built their history upon defense and 2018-19 will not change in that regard.
Overall, the Memphis Grizzlies will not change in an NBA world that is vastly changing to catch up to the almighty Golden State Warriors. Today, no change…is change.
On the court, the Grizzlies will continue to play with a gritty style. They will dive and hustle for loose balls. This club will still look to grind down their opponent over the course of 48 minutes. The roster has changed, but the culture remains the same.
Visually, the Memphis Grizzlies have new Nike uniforms that will be featured througout the 2018-19 season. The FedEx logo is now a part of their jerseys. It is different, but it really gets deeper than the uniforms being worn.
Jason Wexler, the Memphis Grizzlies’ President of Business Operations, hit the nail on the head recently. Take a look at the Grizzlies’ new court design directly below.
Memphis: Against The Grain pic.twitter.com/ODwPpUmAQx
— Jason Wexler (@MainStMemphis) September 25, 2018
All other NBA teams feature playing surfaces with the grain faced parallel with the length of the court. But not that of the Memphis Grizzlies. They want it to be made known that they are going “against the grain.” Literally.
A new era of Grizzlies basketball will not change the culture of this franchise. They want opponents to have fear when they arrive to Memphis, Tennessee, just as it was earlier this decade.
A new roster. New uniforms. A new court, too. There is a new — and different — vibe behind this particular Memphis Grizzlies group and Grizz Nation will soon witness just how good they will be. It is time to prove the critics wrong once again. Being the underdog is just how this franchise wants it to be.