Memphis Grizzlies: 15 players who defined Grit and Grind

Clearly, there is a Grand Canyon-sized gap between the top-four and everybody else when it comes to “Grit and Grind”. As we unveil this era of Grizzlies basketball’s Mount Rushmore, let’s start with the greatest player in franchise history in center Marc Gasol.

After his older brother Pau Gasol was traded to the Grizzlies on draft night by the Atlanta Hawks in 2001, the younger Gasol brother would move to suburban Germantown with his family from Spain. Gasol played his high school ball at Lausanne Collegiate School in Memphis before taking his basketball talents back over to his native Spain to play for FC Barcelona and Akasvayu Girona.

In 2007, Gasol would be a second-round draft selection by the Los Angeles Lakers. Though he didn’t look to have an NBA body, the Lakers still took a chance on the younger Gasol brother. Fate would have it that he would be traded for his older brother ahead of the 2008-09 NBA season. One Gasol replaced another in Memphis and the rest is history.

Gasol would play in all 82 games as a rookie, averaging 11.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game in 2008-09. He made the All-Rookie Second Team, but Gasol was just getting started in his NBA career in his American hometown of Memphis.

In year four with the Grizzlies in 2011-12, Gasol made his first of three NBA All-Star Games to date, averaging 14.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.1 assist per game. As Gasol entered his prime, Memphis became one of the most formidable teams in the Western Conference.

Despite not being named to the All-Star team in 2013, Gasol would start to rack up the accolades. He was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2013, despite only making the All-Defensive Second Team. Gasol was also named to the All-NBA Second-Team that year, as the Grizzlies made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals.

Gasol’s on-court play would reach another level in 2014-15, as he was named to his second NBA All-Star Game. He averaged 17.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game that year, rightfully earning a spot on the All-NBA First Team roster. He and his older brother both got to play in that All-Star game that season.

Gasol made his third NBA All-Star team to date in 2017, as he set a career-high averaging 19.5 points and 4.6 assists per game, while hauling in 6.3 rebounds per contest. He has also hit the two biggest buckets in Grizzlies history. His dagger to beat the Los Angeles Clippers with his own take on the Conor McGregor walk is fantastic. His game-winner over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 of the first round of the 2017 Western Conference Playoffs was so silky smooth.