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10 stars you might have forgot played for the Memphis Grizzlies

By Amaar Burton

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 18: Vince Carter #15 of the Memphis Grizzlies looks on against the Washington Wizards at Verizon Center on January 18, 2017 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 18: Vince Carter #15 of the Memphis Grizzlies looks on against the Washington Wizards at Verizon Center on January 18, 2017 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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Indiana Pacer forward Dale Davis (L) loses the ball as he moves towards the hoop against Vancouver Grizzlies center Otis Thorpe (R) during first quarter action, 27 November, at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, IN. AFP PHOTO by John RUTHROFF (Photo by JOHN RUTHROFF / AFP) (Photo credit should read JOHN RUTHROFF/AFP via Getty Images)
Indiana Pacer forward Dale Davis (L) loses the ball as he moves towards the hoop against Vancouver Grizzlies center Otis Thorpe (R) during first quarter action, 27 November, at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, IN. AFP PHOTO by John RUTHROFF (Photo by JOHN RUTHROFF / AFP) (Photo credit should read JOHN RUTHROFF/AFP via Getty Images) /

10. Otis Thorpe (1997-98)

Otis Thorpe might be the NBA’s most forgotten player who was the second-best player on a championship team. A lot of people also forget that Thorpe was an NBA All-Star in 1992.

So it’s not surprising that Thorpe’s brief stint with the Vancouver Grizzlies would fly under the radar.

Thorpe was Hakeem Olajuwon’s trusty sidekick on the 1993-94 NBA champion Houston Rockets squad, finishing second behind Olajuwon in scoring (14.0 points per game) and rebounding (10.6 per game). The classic blue-collar power forward had three double-doubles in the ’94 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks.

The next season, Thorpe was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers as part of the deal that brought Clyde Drexler to Houston, reuniting college teammates Drexler and Olajuwon. The ’95 NBA champion Rockets featuring those two would become the more celebrated Houston title team.

In 1997, Thorpe was traded by the Detroit Pistons to the Grizzlies for a future first-round draft pick. That pick famously became the No. 2 pick in the 2003 draft that the Pistons used on Darko Milicic instead of Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony or Chris Bosh. (Had the Grizzlies won the lottery that year, they would’ve been able to keep the pick and take LeBron James.)

Thorpe’s run with the Grizzlies wasn’t much better than Darko’s run with the Pistons. The former All-Star played only 47 games for Vancouver, averaging 11.2 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. He was traded midway through his first season to the Sacramento Kings.

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