Panini America Focuses on Memphis Grizzlies’ Triumphs Via Collectibility

Panini America has pieced together a flashback via collectible trading cards which showcases the transformation of the Memphis Grizzlies to their current state.

Over the course of the offseason, Beale Street Bears did a month-long series breaking down the top-25 players in Memphis Grizzlies franchise history, including their days in Vancouver.

A few of our picks are highlighted in Panini America‘s 30-team NBA breakdown — a collaboration with Beckett Media titled “30 Teams in 30 Weeks” — which is intended to showcase the top players in each franchise’s history.

In their specific trading card picks pertaining to the Grizzlies, a total of seven players were chosen. A good amount of effort was put into Panini’s thought process in narrowing down their long and detailed list.

To start things off, they cut right to the chase with the Memphis Grizzlies’ most successful NBA Draft selection to date. Mike Conley has been huge for the Grizz since he entered the NBA and the same can be said today. No other point guard in team history has meant more than Conley has for Memphis.

Second in line is a guy that Grizz Nation would perhaps like to see back on their roster today. Rudy Gay was an underrated team leader for the Grizzlies, and it is a controversial topic when discussing if it was the right move by trading him to the Toronto Raptors during the 2012-13 season.

A third pick was a halt from the Memphis Grizzlies’ excellence from the current decade in revisiting the club’s Vancouver days. Panini America chose Shareef Abdur-Rahim, who, to this day, does not receive enough credit in NBA history for being the force that he was.

Continuing with the current decade, Marc Gasol was chosen for obvious reasons. He is arguably the greatest Grizzly in franchise history. He now holds the highest marks in the Grizzlies’ record books for points, rebounds, and blocks while representing Memphis to this day.

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You cannot have Marc Gasol and leave out Pau Gasol. Prior to this decade, Pau was the team’s top player in nearly every statistical category. He bridged the gap from the Vancouver Grizzlies to the “Grit-‘N’-Grind” era of Grizz basketball. Panini did the right thing by implementing Marc’s older brother into their display.

In speaking of “Grit-‘N’-Grind,” Zach Randolph embodied that particular culture. “Z-Bo” and the Memphis Grizzlies were a perfect match. Zach salvaged his hoops career in the 901, and the result was the franchise’s best days it had ever experienced. He now has a home forever in Memphis, Tennessee — and rightfully so.

To round out the seven-card history, Shane Battier was a fitting component. Though he was a role player — as solid as could possibly be, at that — he spent two stints as a member of the Grizzlies. While creating a memorable tandem with Pau Gasol and then supplying help off the bench during “GNG,” Battier always produced for Memphis. He is one role player that will never be forgotten as he won the hearts of Memphians twice over.

The key player that did not make the cut is Tony Allen, the Grizzlies’ “Grindfather.” Though Panini did not produce many cards of Allen in a Grizz uniform during his time in Memphis, leaving him out of the set is almost fitting. He did the dirty work and was under the radar while Randolph and Gasol were earning NBA All-Star accolades.

Tony Allen was the true glue that held that group together and made them into a championship-contending force in the Western Conference. Being left out is no disrespect to “The Grindfather” as he enjoyed being the underdog during his playing days.

Looking into the current era of the Memphis Grizzlies, Mike Conley and Marc Gasol continue to be mainstays. They are now teaching the “GNG” culture to their young future, which is being led by rookie Jaren Jackson Jr.

Even Jackson Jr. recalls his enjoyment of collecting trading cards, which actually brings a former Grizzly into the casual conversation. Zach Randolph was a player that “Triple-J” idolized. Panini America provides the video clip around this short story here:

It was meant for Jaren Jackson Jr. to become a Memphis Grizzly. Grizz Nation should be thankful to have him aboard as he is well on his way to making significant marks in the franchise’s record books.

10, 12, or 15 years from now, expect Jaren to have a plethora of trading cards being discussed as fans reminisce his days with the Grizzlies, which hopefully includes at least one NBA World Championship.

If interested in purchasing any of the specific Memphis Grizzlies trading cards selected by Panini America, you can do so right here.