Memphis Grizzlies: 15 players who defined Grit and Grind
By John Buhler
SF/PF. (2009-11). DeMarre Carroll. 11. player. 211.
DeMarre Carroll eventually found his way in the NBA, but it wasn’t the easiest journey to relevancy for him. Carroll split his college career between Vanderbilt and Missouri playing for his uncle Mike Anderson. He would end up being a late first-round pick by the Grizzlies in 2009.
Carroll might have been First-Team All-Big 12 during his senior season with Missouri, but he had to eventually reinvent himself to have staying power in the NBA. As a rookie in 2009-10 with Memphis, Carroll played in 71 games. However, he only started one game for the Grizzlies and averaged just 2.9 points in 11.2 minutes per contest.
After just seven games with the Grizzlies in 2010-11, Carroll would be traded to the Houston Rockets along with Hasheem Thabeet and a future first-round pick for Shane Battier and Ish Smith. Carroll only played five games with the 2011 Rockets before being waived. Simply put, Carroll’s NBA career was in the balances.
It was with the Utah Jazz he began fully embracing his “Junkyard Dog” mentality. While with the Atlanta Hawks, Carroll would become a fan favorite as the fifth starter on the 2014-15 team that won 60 games.
He would make bank by inking a life-changing contract with the Toronto Raptors, but injuries robbed him the chance of living up to it. Today, he plays for a former Hawks coach in Kenny Atkinson with the Brooklyn Nets.
So Carroll may have only played in 78 games over two forgettable seasons with the Grizzlies. Normally, that wouldn’t merit inclusion on a list like this, but his time with the Grizzlies was more significant than you’d think.
First off, he was traded for an undeniable grinder in Battier to end his Memphis career. Second, Carroll’s struggles in Memphis eventually ignited the “Junkyard Dog” from within. Lastly, his style of play with Mike Budenholzer’s Hawks would have fit in perfectly with the “Grit and Grind” Grizzlies. In essence, he’d be a lankier, albeit lesser version of “The Grindfather” that is Tony Allen.
Carroll’s inclusion is a bit of a reach, but his failure in Memphis and future embrace of all things hustle, in a way, might have influenced all the good things that were to come with Grizzlies basketball. Had he been a rookie say three years later, Carroll would possibly be a beloved player in Memphis basketball lore.