Memphis Grizzlies fans host hot debate on who the franchise’s G.O.A.T is
By Mark Nilon
The Memphis Grizzlies find themselves right on the cusp of being considered one of the league’s truly elite clubs heading into 2023-24, which should come as no surprise when considering their incredibly strong collection of talents.
Consisting of two established All-Stars in Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., and fleshed out with other stellar ballers such as Desmond Bane and Steven Adams, Taylor Jenkins’ roster has a slew of quality individuals that have proven to be quite valuable toward their upward trajectory over the last several years.
Seeing top-flight talents grace the blue and gold threads, however, is certainly no new phenomenon for the franchise, as they’ve had many noteworthy names represent the team since being introduced back in 1995.
Recently on social media, Grizzlies fans were found debating amongst themselves who of the enviable crop of talent from throughout the organization’s history should be considered the G.O.A.T (Greatest of All Time), and, unsurprisingly, several Grind City legends were listed as serious contenders for the moniker.
The individual name most often referenced was former star center Marc Gasol, who received a rather in-depth argument for why he’s most deserving of the acronym from one particular fan.
For right now, Gasol is. He was defensive player of the year and he was a centerpiece on the Grizzlies' rise to the 2013 Western Conference finals. Morant has a chance to supplant him, but he has to get himself together off the court.
— I.C. Murrell (@ICMurrellPB) August 28, 2023
Gasol spent 11 seasons in Memphis and finished his career with the club boasting stellar averages of 15.2 points, 7.7 assists, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks.
Serving as the leader of the team throughout his tenure, the pivot earned three All-Star nods, two All-NBA selections, and was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2012-13 while guiding the Grizzlies to six playoff appearances, one of which led to their first and, to this point, only Conference Finals berth back in 2013.
Mike Conley of course
— Manboob Sports (@Manboob_Sports) August 27, 2023
Another regularly mentioned name was Mike Conely Jr., who spent 12 seasons with the franchise and was without a doubt the league’s most underrated backcourt talent throughout the majority of this time.
By the time he was traded to the Utah Jazz during the summer of 2019, the point guard had racked up impressive averages of 14.9 points, 5.7 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.5 steals while shooting 37.5 percent from distance.
Despite his lack of season-based credentials (zero All-Star or All-NBA selections during his Memphis career and just one All-Defensive nod in 2012-13), both Grizzlies fans and the organization as a whole understood just how vital he was throughout his tenure, and was even rewarded with a five-year, $153 million deal during the 2016 offseason as a result.
At the time, said contract was regarded as the largest in NBA history.
https://twitter.com/carmelostan333/status/1695843914530394471?s=20
A large chunk of those who commented would also find themselves choosing between either Gasol or Conely, though would continue on with their stance on the matter by noting that, assuming no serious injuries or continued off-court issues take place, should he remain with the franchise for the long-haul Morant will likely find himself earning the prestigious label.
In just four seasons with the team, the point guard has established himself as one of the game’s best individual talents and, in a sense, has single-handedly turned Memphis into a must-watch group.
Since being selected second overall in the 2019 NBA Draft, Morant has gone on to post astounding per-game averages of 22.4 points, 7.4 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.0 steals while shooting 47.2 percent from the field.
Along with a barrage of highlight reels being readily available on the internet, the 24-year-old has earned several honors as a result of his productivity, such as the NBA Rookie of the Year award, a Most Improved Player award, two All-Star selections, and, in 2021-22, an All-NBA selection.
If he continues to improve upon his game with every passing season as he seemingly has done since arriving in the league, the vast majority of Grizzlies fans seem convinced that Morant will wind up becoming the clear choice in any future conversations regarding the rightful owner of the G.O.A.T identification.
In the meantime, there seem to be several contenders in the running, which should be seen as a testimony to how impressive the number of top-flight talents who have represented this franchise since its inception truly is.
