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Memphis Grizzlies: This year’s team draws close similarities to 2009-10 Grizzlies

By Jack Williams

Rudy Gay, Memphis Grizzlies 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 Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Rudy Gay, Memphis Grizzlies 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 Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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Memphis Grizzlies
Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports /

The Memphis Grizzlies are a team that is in the early stages of a rebuild. They hold the youngest roster in the league but stand in a position to make the NBA Playoffs. The rebuild is happening fast, but this isn’t new for this Memphis-based franchise.

In fact, if you look back at previous Grizzlies seasons, there is one in particular that mirrors this exact success early on in a rebuild. That season is 2009-10.

Rewind just over a decade and you’ll find a very similar team to that of present day. Instead of Ja Morant, you have Mike Conley. Instead of Jonas Valanciunas, you have Zach Randolph. Instead of Dillon Brooks, you have Rudy Gay. Instead of Jaren Jackson Jr., you have Marc Gasol.

To draw the comparison even close, Gasol wouldn’t be able to play in a crucial stretch of the season with an injury. Looks like history is repeating itself.

What makes this Memphis Grizzlies team different than in 2009-10?

For starters, the 2020-21 Memphis Grizzlies are a younger team. The average age of the aforementioned players is significantly younger than that of their predecessors. The present-day Grizzlies have infinitely more room to grow.

Take Morant and Jackson Jr. for example. The Grizzlies’ entire rebuild is centered around these two guys, each of whom is just 21-years old. If all goes well, we’ll be watching both of these players in a decade, possibly even two decades. They won’t hit their prime for another 7 years.

But while individual comparisons are fun to do, the present-day Grizzlies hold a distinct edge over their ancestors.

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