Memphis Grizzlies: 15 players who defined Grit and Grind
By John Buhler
Quincy Pondexter. 9. player. 211. . SG/SF. (2011-15)
Quincy Pondexter has had an injury-riddled NBA career up to this point. However, the bulk of it has come with the Grizzlies and he did play for the team during the climb and peak of “Grit and Grind.”
Pondexter played his rookie season out of Washington with the then New Orleans Hornets in 2010-11. Then one day before the start of the 2011-12 NBA season, Pondexter was traded to the Grizzlies for shooting guard Greivis Vasquez. Pondexter would go on to play for Memphis for the next 3.5 seasons.
In his first two seasons with the Grizzlies, Pondexter had his health. He appeared in a combined 123 games, making nine starts. Though he only averaged 5.2 points and 1.3 rebounds per game in his 3.5 seasons with the Grizzlies, Pondexter was a guy that could be plugged into the rotation and contribute off the bench.
However, the injuries started adding up in year four of his NBA career. Pondexter suffered stress fracture in his right foot in December and would miss the rest of 2013-14. He only played in 15 games for the Grizzlies that season. Pondexter would return in 2014-15, but would be traded to the New Orleans Pelicans in a three-team deal with the Boston Celtics involving Jeff Green and Austin Rivers.
That’s when the injuries started to mount for Pondexter. He suffered a knee injury and needed three surgeries to get it right. All the while, he developed a life-threatening skin ailment that nearly cost him his career.
After spending 2015-17 out of basketball, Pondexter returned to play for the 2017-18 Chicago Bulls. He is now a member of the San Antonio Spurs, the fourth franchise of his NBA career. At only 30 years old, hopefully Pondexter has a few good years left in the tank before calling it a career on his terms.
Pondexter’s best season with the Grizzlies came in 2012-13 where he averaged 6.4 points and 2.2 rebounds on 42.8 percent shooting. He played in 21.1 minutes per game and shot 39.5 percent from distance.
Overall, Pondexter was never more than an average wing for the Grizzlies. Though a slight defensive liability, he did have a knack for hitting the big shot. Being able to space the floor with his smooth stroke from 3-point land was an effective weapon to complement the physical nature of the Grizzlies’ offensive game in the paint during peak “Grit and Grind”.