Vancouver Grizzlies
Encyclopedia
The Vancouver Grizzlies were a professional basketball
team based in Vancouver
, British Columbia
, Canada
. They were part of the Midwest Division
of the Western Conference
of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The team was established in 1995, along with the Toronto Raptors
, as part of the NBA's expansion
into Canada. Following the 2000–01 season
, the team relocated to Memphis, Tennessee
, United States, and now plays as the Memphis Grizzlies
. The Vancouver Grizzlies played their home games during their six seasons at General Motors Place
.
Like most expansion teams, the Grizzlies struggled in their early years. The team finished last in the division in five of its seasons, and never managed to hit a .300 win percentage. In total it won 101 matches and lost 359 and never reached the playoffs
. The two expansion teams were denied early draft picks in the first season, but the Grizzlies secured Shareef Abdur-Rahim
in 1996. The team continued to lose games despite high draft picks, and after selecting Steve Francis
as second pick in 1999, who denied to play in Vancouver and was traded away. After the 1998–99 lockout
, lower attendance and a weak Canadian dollar
caused the owner Orca Bay Sports and Entertainment to start losing money on the franchise. After a failed attempt to sell the team to Bill Laurie, it was instead sold to Michael Heisley
and subsequently moved.
, who played a single season in 1946–47 before folding. Attempts had been made by Nelson Skalbania
, a local entrepreneur, to get an NBA franchise to Vancouver in the 1980s, but had failed. Arthur Griffiths
, owner of the Vancouver Canucks
of the National Hockey League
through Northwest Sports Enterprises, announced in February 1993 that he hoped to bring an NBA franchise to Vancouver. He was working on a private 20,000 seat arena for the Canucks in Downtown Vancouver, which was scheduled for completion for the 1995–96 season. The Toronto Raptors
were awarded an expansion franchise for that season on 30 September 1993. On 14 February 1994, the NBA's Expansion Committee gave a preliminary approval for Vancouver, with full approval being granted by the Board of Governors on 27 April. Both franchises paid a fee of US$125 million, up from $32.5 million paid during the 1988–89 expansion. The Grizzlies became the NBA's 29th franchise.
One hindrance for the expansion was that the NBA wanted the Province of British Columbia to abolish wagering on Grizzlies games, specifically by removing the games from the Sports Actions betting. NBA betting accounted for CA$1.56 million in 1993, with the profits going to provincial health care. Similar demands were laid forward in Ontario. There was large public opposition against the league's demands. This issue was resolved on 9 February 1994 after the franchise company agreed to donate $500,000 per year to health care.
The company hired Stu Jackson
as general manager on 22 July, who was at the time head coach of the University of Wisconsin Badgers
and was previous head coach for the New York Knicks
. Jackson started by hiring a scouting department headed by Larry Riley
. Original proposals were for the team to be called the Vancouver Mounties, but objections from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
forced the team to find a new name, which was announced on 11 August, named for the bear indigenous to British Columbia. The team colors were announced to be turquoise, bronze and red.
To start playing, the team needed to have sold 12,500 season tickets with 50 percent payment prior to 1 January 1995. This was a number higher than that of the Canucks, and both Orlando Magic
and Minnesota Timberwolves
had seen problems reaching 10,000 during the 1989 expansion. On 21 December 1994, only about 10,000 tickets had been sold when Shoppers Drug Mart
purchased the necessary 2,500 tickets to push the team over the limit, in a deal similar to what was necessary in Toronto. On 7 March 1995, the majority of the holding company was sold from Griffiths to Seattle-based John McCaw, Jr.
. Brian Winters
was announced as head coach on 19 June, who the past nine seasons had been assistant Lenny Wilkens
in Atlanta Hawks
and Cleveland Cavaliers
. Prior to the drafts, the team signed free agent
Kevin Pritchard
, the team's first player.
Five days later, the Grizzlies and Raptors attended the 1995 NBA Expansion Draft
. Each of the 27 NBA teams could protect eight of their players, and the two expansion teams could in order selected one unprotected player from each team. Vancouver won the coin flip, and opted for a better position in the upcoming draft, allowing the Raptors the first pick. Vancouver's first pick was Knicks' point guard Greg Anthony
; other top players were guards Byron Scott
and Gerald Wilkins
, and swingman Blue Edwards
. The team also selected were forward Kenny Gattison
, center Benoit Benjamin
, forward Larry Stewart
, Rodney Dent
, Antonio Harvey
, Reggie Slater
, Trevor Ruffin
, Derrick Phelps
and Doug Edwards
.
Both the Canadian teams were hampered by the NBA's decision to deny them one of the top five picks in the draft. The teams would not be allowed a top draft pick in the following three seasons, even if they should win the lottery
. The teams were also hindered from using their full salary cap
the first two seasons. In the first draft
, the Grizzlies were sixth and selected center Bryant Reeves
. Although a solid player, he failed both at carrying the team and, lacking creative style, did not help draw up attendance.
, held at a neutral venue in Canada. The Grizzlies first official match was against the Portland Trail Blazers
; both it and the following game against the Timerwovlves was won. The team followed up by losing 19 straight games, and later set the NBA single-season record of 23 straight losses in February to April. The season ended with 15 wins and 67 losses—the .196 winning percentage
being the lowest in the whole league. The team saw an average attendance of 17,183 spectators, 14th in the NBA.
Shareef Abdur-Rahim
was selected third overall by the Grizzlies in the 1996 Draft
. He made an immediate impact playing for the Grizzlies, becoming the team's leading scorer while setting a franchise record of 18.7 points per game
(ppg). He finished third in balloting for the NBA Rookie of the Year and was picked for the All-Rookie First Team
. By the end of the 1996–97 season
, Abdur-Rahim led the team in scoring on 33 occasions, rebounding on 23 occasions. Abdur-Rahim remained the centerpiece of the team as long as they remained in Vancouver; in the 1998–99 season, he elevated his performance with 23.0 ppg. The Grizzlies traded
Anthony Peeler
and George Lynch
from the Los Angeles Lakers
. Winters was removed as coach after 43 games, and replaced for the remaining of the season by Jackson. The 1996–97 season saw the Grizzlies only win 14 games, again the worst in the whole league.
The 1997–98 season
saw the hiring of Brian Hill
as head coach. In the draft
, Vancouver selected Antonio Daniels
with the fourth pick. The team traded to get Otis Thorpe
for the 2003 first-round draft pick
and Sam Mack
for Rodrick Rhodes
. Both would however only play a single season for the Grizzlies. The team won 19 games, placing the sixth in the division, ahead of the Denver Nuggets
, and 25th overall in the league.
Ahead of the 1998–99 season
, Daniels was traded to the San Antonio Spurs
in exchange for Carl Herrera
and Felipe Lopez
. The Grizzlies signed free agent Cherokee Parks
and traded Daniels for the Spurs' Felipe Lopez
and Carl Herrera
. In the draft
, the Grizzlies selected Mike Bibby
with a second overall pick.
The 1998–99 NBA lockout
reduced the season to 50 games. While average attendance league-wide dropped that season, it had a slight increase in Vancouver. The team finished with 8 wins and 42 losses, giving it an all-time low winning percentage of .160.
The Grizzlies again had second pick in the 1999 Draft
. Despite having a good point guard in Bibby, they selected Steve Francis
. He had hoped to be selected first by the Chicago Bulls
, and his managers had several times indicated that he was not interested in playing in Vancouver. He relented and briefly considered joining the Grizzlies, but after an incident at the airport, his manager Jeffrey Fried started trying to get him traded. In what became the biggest deal till then in NBA history, involving eleven players and three teams, Francis and Tony Massenburg
were sent to Houston, Michael Smith, Lee Mayberry
, Rodrick Rhodes
and Makhtar N'Diaye
were sent to Orlando Magic
, while the Grizzlies received forwards Othella Harrington
and Antoine Carr
, guards Michael Dickerson
and Brent Price
, first- and second-round draft picks and cash. Francis would go on to win the Rookie of the Year Award
, and was harassed both verbally and physically by fans when he played against the Grizzlies.
The 1999–2000 season
saw Lionel Hollins
take over as coach after 22 matches, after Hill had only won four games. The season ended with 22 wins and 60 losses, placing the Grizzlies last in the division. The season also saw a large drop in attendance, averaging 13,899, ranking the team 27th in the league.
In the team's final season in Vancouver
, Sidney Lowe
was hired as head coach. Forward Stromile Swift
was selected as the second-overall pick in the draft
. The season ended with 23 wins and 59 losses, finishing last in the division. The team's final game at GM Place was against the Rockets on 14 April. The Vancouver Grizzlies' final match was a 95–81 win against the Golden State Warriors
on 18 April.
Griffiths sold Orca Bay to Seattle-based John McCaw, Jr.
in 1995 and 1996. In September 1999, McCaw announced the sale of the Grizzlies, but not the arena or the Canucks, to NHL's St. Louis Blues
-owner Bill Laurie for US$200 million. He stated that he intended to move the Grizzlies to St. Louis, but the transaction was stopped by the NBA.
Instead, McCaw sold the team to Chicago
-based Michael Heisley
for US$160 million. At the time he stated that he intended to keep the team in Vancouver, but immediately started a process to find a suitable relocation city in the US. After initially investigating Memphis, Las Vegas, New Orleans, St. Louis, Anaheim, San Diego, Buffalo
and Louisville
. Memphis was announced as the preferred site on 26 March, even though a new venue would have to be built there. The NBA Board of Governors approved the move on 4 July.
of the Western Conference
.
(Win%) and number as coach (#).
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team based in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. They were part of the Midwest Division
Midwest Division (NBA)
The Midwest Division was a division in the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division was created at the start of the 1970–71 season, when the league expanded from 14 to 17 teams with the addition of the Buffalo Braves, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Portland Trail...
of the Western Conference
Western Conference (NBA)
Below is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks....
of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The team was established in 1995, along with the Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
, as part of the NBA's expansion
Expansion team
An expansion team is a brand new team in a sports league. The term is most commonly used in reference to the North American major professional sports leagues, but is applied to sports leagues worldwide that use a closed franchise system of league membership. The term comes from the expansion of the...
into Canada. Following the 2000–01 season
2000–01 Vancouver Grizzlies season
The Vancouver Grizzlies played their final season in Vancouver. Entering their 6th season, the rumors of a move became a reality. Club Owner Michael Heisley, decided that it was time for the Grizzlies to move on. After 5 losing seasons had given the team low morale and decreasing support in the...
, the team relocated to Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, United States, and now plays as the Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
. The Vancouver Grizzlies played their home games during their six seasons at General Motors Place
General Motors Place
Rogers Arena Rogers Arena Rogers Arena (nicknamed "The Phone Booth" and "The Cable Box" and also "The Garage" (when it was called GM Place) is an indoor sports arena located at 800 Griffiths Way in the downtown area of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...
.
Like most expansion teams, the Grizzlies struggled in their early years. The team finished last in the division in five of its seasons, and never managed to hit a .300 win percentage. In total it won 101 matches and lost 359 and never reached the playoffs
NBA Playoffs
The National Basketball Association Playoffs is a best-of-seven elimination tournament among sixteen teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference , ultimately deciding the final four teams who will play in the NBA Conference Finals.-Format:Following the NBA regular season, eight teams in...
. The two expansion teams were denied early draft picks in the first season, but the Grizzlies secured Shareef Abdur-Rahim
Shareef Abdur-Rahim
Shareef Abdur-Rahim is a retired American professional basketball player and current assistant general manager for the Sacramento Kings. He last played for the Kings of the National Basketball Association . On the basketball court, he played both forward or center positions. Abdur-Rahim was a...
in 1996. The team continued to lose games despite high draft picks, and after selecting Steve Francis
Steve Francis
Steven D'Shawn Francis is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Beijing Ducks of the Chinese Basketball Association. He had also played for the Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, and New York Knicks...
as second pick in 1999, who denied to play in Vancouver and was traded away. After the 1998–99 lockout
1998–99 NBA lockout
The 1998–99 NBA lockout was the third lockout in the history of the National Basketball Association . It lasted from July 1, 1998 to January 20, 1999, and forced the 1998–99 season to be shortened to 50 games per team and that season's All-Star Game to be canceled...
, lower attendance and a weak Canadian dollar
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
caused the owner Orca Bay Sports and Entertainment to start losing money on the franchise. After a failed attempt to sell the team to Bill Laurie, it was instead sold to Michael Heisley
Michael Heisley
Michael E. Heisley is an American businessman who is the majority owner of the Memphis Grizzlies. He orchestrated the move of the team from Vancouver in 2001, after promising to keep the franchise in Vancouver when he purchased it in 2000...
and subsequently moved.
History
Establishment
The only former NBA team to play in Canada was the Toronto HuskiesToronto Huskies
The Toronto Huskies were a team in the Basketball Association of America during the 1946–47 season, based in Toronto, Ontario...
, who played a single season in 1946–47 before folding. Attempts had been made by Nelson Skalbania
Nelson Skalbania
Nelson M. Skalbania is a Canadian businessman from Vancouver, British Columbia best known for signing a 17-year-old Wayne Gretzky to the Indianapolis Racers of the World Hockey Association....
, a local entrepreneur, to get an NBA franchise to Vancouver in the 1980s, but had failed. Arthur Griffiths
Arthur Griffiths
Arthur Griffiths is a Canadian businessperson, philanthropist, and candidate for political office. He is former owner of the Vancouver Canucks and General Motors Place, and chaired the Vancouver/Whistler 2010 Bid Society which helped to bring the 2010 Winter Olympics to the region...
, owner of the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
through Northwest Sports Enterprises, announced in February 1993 that he hoped to bring an NBA franchise to Vancouver. He was working on a private 20,000 seat arena for the Canucks in Downtown Vancouver, which was scheduled for completion for the 1995–96 season. The Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
were awarded an expansion franchise for that season on 30 September 1993. On 14 February 1994, the NBA's Expansion Committee gave a preliminary approval for Vancouver, with full approval being granted by the Board of Governors on 27 April. Both franchises paid a fee of US$125 million, up from $32.5 million paid during the 1988–89 expansion. The Grizzlies became the NBA's 29th franchise.
One hindrance for the expansion was that the NBA wanted the Province of British Columbia to abolish wagering on Grizzlies games, specifically by removing the games from the Sports Actions betting. NBA betting accounted for CA$1.56 million in 1993, with the profits going to provincial health care. Similar demands were laid forward in Ontario. There was large public opposition against the league's demands. This issue was resolved on 9 February 1994 after the franchise company agreed to donate $500,000 per year to health care.
The company hired Stu Jackson
Stu Jackson
Stuart Wayne Jackson is an American former head coach and current executive in the National Basketball Association. He has coached two different NBA teams: the New York Knicks in 1990 and 1991, and the Vancouver Grizzlies in 1997; he also has served as the Grizzlies' general manager...
as general manager on 22 July, who was at the time head coach of the University of Wisconsin Badgers
Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball
The Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball team is a NCAA Division I college basketball team competing in the Big Ten Conference. Home games are played at the Kohl Center, located on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus in Madison, Wisconsin....
and was previous head coach for the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. Jackson started by hiring a scouting department headed by Larry Riley
Larry Riley
Larry Riley, who has 23 years of experience in the NBA, is the General Manager of the Golden State Warriors, replacing Chris Mullin in 2009.A graduate of Chadron State with an honors degree in education, Riley was inducted into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993...
. Original proposals were for the team to be called the Vancouver Mounties, but objections from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
forced the team to find a new name, which was announced on 11 August, named for the bear indigenous to British Columbia. The team colors were announced to be turquoise, bronze and red.
To start playing, the team needed to have sold 12,500 season tickets with 50 percent payment prior to 1 January 1995. This was a number higher than that of the Canucks, and both Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
and Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
had seen problems reaching 10,000 during the 1989 expansion. On 21 December 1994, only about 10,000 tickets had been sold when Shoppers Drug Mart
Shoppers Drug Mart
Shoppers Drug Mart Corporation is Canada's largest pharmacy chain with more than 1,241 stores operating under the names Shoppers Drug Mart in nine provinces and two territories and Pharmaprix in Quebec as well as in Hawkesbury, Ontario....
purchased the necessary 2,500 tickets to push the team over the limit, in a deal similar to what was necessary in Toronto. On 7 March 1995, the majority of the holding company was sold from Griffiths to Seattle-based John McCaw, Jr.
John McCaw, Jr.
John McCaw, Jr. is a businessman who formerly owned McCaw Cellular in Seattle, Washington and a former part-owner of the Vancouver Canucks NHL franchise, with Francesco Aquilini. On November 8, 2006, his 50% interest was sold to Aquilini, who became the sole owner.-References:*Bill Knight, ....
. Brian Winters
Brian Winters
Brian Joseph Winters is a former NBA guard/forward, coach and former WNBA head coach. He attended academic and athletic powerhouse Archbishop Molloy High School in Queens, NY, graduating in 1970. He then played collegiately with the University of South Carolina and was the 12th pick in the 1974...
was announced as head coach on 19 June, who the past nine seasons had been assistant Lenny Wilkens
Lenny Wilkens
Leonard Randolph "Lenny" Wilkens is a retired American basketball player and coach in the NBA...
in Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
and Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
. Prior to the drafts, the team signed free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
Kevin Pritchard
Kevin Pritchard
Kevin Lee Pritchard is a retired American professional basketball player.- College career :Pritchard played college basketball for the University of Kansas, where he was the starting point guard on the Jayhawks team that defeated the Oklahoma Sooners for the 1988 NCAA Division I men's basketball...
, the team's first player.
Five days later, the Grizzlies and Raptors attended the 1995 NBA Expansion Draft
1995 NBA Expansion Draft
The 1995 NBA Expansion Draft was the tenth expansion draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on June 24, 1995, so that the newly founded Toronto Raptors and the Vancouver Grizzlies could acquire players for the upcoming . Toronto was awarded an expansion team on September...
. Each of the 27 NBA teams could protect eight of their players, and the two expansion teams could in order selected one unprotected player from each team. Vancouver won the coin flip, and opted for a better position in the upcoming draft, allowing the Raptors the first pick. Vancouver's first pick was Knicks' point guard Greg Anthony
Greg Anthony
Gregory Carlton Anthony is an American former National Basketball Association basketball player and former personality on the ESPN family of networks. He is currently an analyst for CBS's college basketball coverage...
; other top players were guards Byron Scott
Byron Scott (basketball)
Byron Antom Scott is a retired American National Basketball Association player and current head coach of the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers. He was formerly the head coach of the NBA's New Jersey Nets and New Orleans Hornets. He attended Arizona State University, but left school in his junior year to...
and Gerald Wilkins
Gerald Wilkins
Gerald Bernard Wilkins is a retired American professional basketball player. A 6'6" shooting guard/small forward, who played collegiately at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and later in the NBA.Gerald is the younger brother of former Atlanta Hawks superstar Dominique Wilkins and...
, and swingman Blue Edwards
Blue Edwards
Theodore "Blue" Edwards is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the NBA. Edwards played ten years in the league.-Biography:Edwards' hometown was Walstonburg, North Carolina...
. The team also selected were forward Kenny Gattison
Kenny Gattison
Kenneth Clay Gattison is an American former professional basketball player and current NBA assistant coach.-College career:...
, center Benoit Benjamin
Benoit Benjamin
Lenard Benoit Benjamin is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 1st round of the 1985 NBA Draft. A 7'0" center from Creighton University, Benjamin played for nine NBA teams in 15 seasons from 1985-2000...
, forward Larry Stewart
Larry Stewart (basketball)
Larry Stewart is a retired American professional basketball player, formerly of the NBA. He is a 6'8", 220 lb forward....
, Rodney Dent
Rodney Dent
Rodney Dent is an American professional basketball player. Dent played his college basketball at the University of Kentucky. He was drafted by the Orlando Magic in the 1994 NBA Draft.-External links:*...
, Antonio Harvey
Antonio Harvey
Antonio Harvey is a retired American professional basketball player.He attended Southern Illinois University , Connors State College , the University of Georgia , and Pfeiffer University . He was bypassed in the 1993 NBA draft...
, Reggie Slater
Reggie Slater
Reginald Dwayne Slater is an American former professional basketball player. A 6'7" forward from the University of Wyoming, Slater was never drafted by an NBA team but did manage to play in 8 NBA seasons from 1994–1999 and 2000-2003...
, Trevor Ruffin
Trevor Ruffin
Trevor Ruffin is an American professional basketball player formerly in the NBA and the ABA.The 6' 1" point guard from the University of Hawaii played with the Phoenix Suns and the Philadelphia 76ers from 1994–1996...
, Derrick Phelps
Derrick Phelps
Derrick Michael Phelps is an American former professional basketball player. At 6' 4" and 181 lbs., he played as a point guard....
and Doug Edwards
Doug Edwards
Douglas Edwards is an American former professional basketball player who was selected by the Atlanta Hawks in the 1st round of the 1993 NBA Draft. Edwards played for the Hawks and Vancouver Grizzlies in 3 NBA seasons, averaging 2.4 ppg. He played collegiately at Florida State University...
.
Both the Canadian teams were hampered by the NBA's decision to deny them one of the top five picks in the draft. The teams would not be allowed a top draft pick in the following three seasons, even if they should win the lottery
NBA Draft Lottery
The NBA Draft Lottery is an annual event held by the National Basketball Association in which the teams who had missed the playoffs in the previous season, or teams who hold the draft rights of another team that missed the playoffs in the previous season, participate in a lottery process to...
. The teams were also hindered from using their full salary cap
Salary cap
In professional sports, a salary cap is a cartel agreement between teams that places a limit on the amount of money that can be spent on player salaries. The limit exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both...
the first two seasons. In the first draft
1995 NBA Draft
The 1995 NBA Draft took place on June 28, 1995 at SkyDome in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It marked the first NBA draft for the two Canadian expansion teams, Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies...
, the Grizzlies were sixth and selected center Bryant Reeves
Bryant Reeves
Bryant Reeves is an American retired professional basketball player for the NBA's Vancouver Grizzlies...
. Although a solid player, he failed both at carrying the team and, lacking creative style, did not help draw up attendance.
Six seasons
Every year, except the 1998–99 season, the Grizzlies played the Raptors in the pre-season Naismith CupNaismith Cup
The Naismith Cup was an annual pre-season National Basketball Association exhibition game. From 1995 through 2000, it was played between the two Canadian NBA rivals, the Toronto Raptors and the Vancouver Grizzlies, at neutral venues across Canada. Following the Grizzlies relocation to Memphis, the...
, held at a neutral venue in Canada. The Grizzlies first official match was against the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
; both it and the following game against the Timerwovlves was won. The team followed up by losing 19 straight games, and later set the NBA single-season record of 23 straight losses in February to April. The season ended with 15 wins and 67 losses—the .196 winning percentage
Winning percentage
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is defined as wins divided by wins plus losses . Ties count as a ½ loss and a ½ win...
being the lowest in the whole league. The team saw an average attendance of 17,183 spectators, 14th in the NBA.
Shareef Abdur-Rahim
Shareef Abdur-Rahim
Shareef Abdur-Rahim is a retired American professional basketball player and current assistant general manager for the Sacramento Kings. He last played for the Kings of the National Basketball Association . On the basketball court, he played both forward or center positions. Abdur-Rahim was a...
was selected third overall by the Grizzlies in the 1996 Draft
1996 NBA Draft
The 1996 NBA Draft was the 50th draft in the National Basketball Association . It was held on June 26, 1996 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The draft was broadcast in the United States on the Turner Network Television...
. He made an immediate impact playing for the Grizzlies, becoming the team's leading scorer while setting a franchise record of 18.7 points per game
Points per game
Points per game, often abbreviated PPG, is the average number of points scored by a player per game played in a sport, over the course of a series of games, a whole season, or a career. It is calculated by dividing the total number of points by number of games. The terminology is often used in...
(ppg). He finished third in balloting for the NBA Rookie of the Year and was picked for the All-Rookie First Team
NBA All-Rookie Team
The NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches; who are not allowed to vote for players on their own team. The All-Rookie Team is generally...
. By the end of the 1996–97 season
1996–97 Vancouver Grizzlies season
The 1996–97 Vancouver Grizzlies season was the Grizzlies second season in the National Basketball Association. Vancouver was coming off of an NBA worst record of 15–67 in the 1995–96 season.-NBA Draft:...
, Abdur-Rahim led the team in scoring on 33 occasions, rebounding on 23 occasions. Abdur-Rahim remained the centerpiece of the team as long as they remained in Vancouver; in the 1998–99 season, he elevated his performance with 23.0 ppg. The Grizzlies traded
Anthony Peeler
Anthony Peeler
Anthony Eugene Peeler is a retired American professional basketball player, having played for a number of NBA teams from 1992 to 2005...
and George Lynch
George Lynch
George Lynch may refer to:*George Lynch *George Lynch *George Lynch...
from the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. Winters was removed as coach after 43 games, and replaced for the remaining of the season by Jackson. The 1996–97 season saw the Grizzlies only win 14 games, again the worst in the whole league.
The 1997–98 season
1997–98 Vancouver Grizzlies season
The 1997–98 Vancouver Grizzlies season was the Grizzlies third season in the National Basketball Association. Vancouver was coming off of an NBA worst record of 14–68 in the 1996–97 season.-NBA Draft:...
saw the hiring of Brian Hill
Brian Hill (basketball)
Brian Hill is an American basketball coach who is currently an assistant coach for the Detroit Pistons in the NBA...
as head coach. In the draft
1997 NBA Draft
The 1997 NBA Draft took place on June 25, 1997 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Although the Celtics had the second worst record in the 1996-97 season and the best odds of winning the lottery with two picks, the Spurs, usually a model of winning and consistency, lost David Robinson to an injury early...
, Vancouver selected Antonio Daniels
Antonio Daniels
Antonio Robert Daniels is an American professional basketball player. He most recently played for the Philadelphia 76ers.-Career:...
with the fourth pick. The team traded to get Otis Thorpe
Otis Thorpe
Otis Henry Thorpe is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.-Early years:...
for the 2003 first-round draft pick
2003 NBA Draft
The 2003 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2003 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and...
and Sam Mack
Sam Mack
Sam Mack is a retired American professional basketball player, formerly of the NBA.The 6'7" shooting guard from Iowa State University, Tyler Junior College and the University of Houston played with five different NBA teams over a 10-year span...
for Rodrick Rhodes
Rodrick Rhodes
Rodrick Rhodes is an American former professional basketball player who was selected by the Houston Rockets in the 1st round of the 1997 NBA Draft.-High school career:...
. Both would however only play a single season for the Grizzlies. The team won 19 games, placing the sixth in the division, ahead of the Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
, and 25th overall in the league.
Ahead of the 1998–99 season
1998–99 Vancouver Grizzlies season
The 1998-99 Vancouver Grizzlies season was the Grizzlies fourth season in the National Basketball Association. The Grizzlies were coming off a franchise best record of 19-63 in the 1997-98 season, finishing out of last place for the first time in team history....
, Daniels was traded to the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
in exchange for Carl Herrera
Carl Herrera
Carl Víctor Herrera Alleyne is a retired Venezuelan basketball player. A power forward, he was part of the Houston Rockets National Basketball Association championship teams of the mid-1990s....
and Felipe Lopez
Felipe López
Felipe López may refer to:*Felipe López *Felipe López *Felipe López *Felipe Molas López , former president of Paraguay...
. The Grizzlies signed free agent Cherokee Parks
Cherokee Parks
Cherokee Bryan Parks is an American professional basketball player.A 6' 11" , 240 lbs center, Parks played his college basketball at Duke University under coach Mike Krzyzewski and won the 1992 national title during his freshman year...
and traded Daniels for the Spurs' Felipe Lopez
Felipe López
Felipe López may refer to:*Felipe López *Felipe López *Felipe López *Felipe Molas López , former president of Paraguay...
and Carl Herrera
Carl Herrera
Carl Víctor Herrera Alleyne is a retired Venezuelan basketball player. A power forward, he was part of the Houston Rockets National Basketball Association championship teams of the mid-1990s....
. In the draft
1998 NBA Draft
The 1998 NBA Draft took place on June 24, 1998 at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This draft helped turn around three struggling franchises: the Dallas Mavericks, the Sacramento Kings, and the Toronto Raptors....
, the Grizzlies selected Mike Bibby
Mike Bibby
Michael "Mike" Bibby is an American professional basketball player who most recently played for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association. He is a 6'2" point guard, and he attended Shadow Mountain High School in Phoenix, Arizona and played collegiately at the University of Arizona. In...
with a second overall pick.
The 1998–99 NBA lockout
1998–99 NBA lockout
The 1998–99 NBA lockout was the third lockout in the history of the National Basketball Association . It lasted from July 1, 1998 to January 20, 1999, and forced the 1998–99 season to be shortened to 50 games per team and that season's All-Star Game to be canceled...
reduced the season to 50 games. While average attendance league-wide dropped that season, it had a slight increase in Vancouver. The team finished with 8 wins and 42 losses, giving it an all-time low winning percentage of .160.
1999 NBA Draft
The 1999 NBA Draft was held on June 30, 1999 at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C. It was the first draft in which four players from the same college were picked in the first round, with Elton Brand , Trajan Langdon , Corey Maggette and William Avery being selected out of Duke University...
. Despite having a good point guard in Bibby, they selected Steve Francis
Steve Francis
Steven D'Shawn Francis is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Beijing Ducks of the Chinese Basketball Association. He had also played for the Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, and New York Knicks...
. He had hoped to be selected first by the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
, and his managers had several times indicated that he was not interested in playing in Vancouver. He relented and briefly considered joining the Grizzlies, but after an incident at the airport, his manager Jeffrey Fried started trying to get him traded. In what became the biggest deal till then in NBA history, involving eleven players and three teams, Francis and Tony Massenburg
Tony Massenburg
Tony Arnel Massenburg is an American former professional basketball player. He shares an NBA record with Chucky Brown, Joe Smith, and Jim Jackson for having played with twelve different teams over his career....
were sent to Houston, Michael Smith, Lee Mayberry
Lee Mayberry
Orva Lee Mayberry, Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player, spending seven seasons in the National Basketball Association.-Early career:...
, Rodrick Rhodes
Rodrick Rhodes
Rodrick Rhodes is an American former professional basketball player who was selected by the Houston Rockets in the 1st round of the 1997 NBA Draft.-High school career:...
and Makhtar N'Diaye
Makhtar N'Diaye (basketball)
Makhtar Vincent N'Diaye is a Senegalese former basketball player who played as a power forward and center. He played for the Vancouver Grizzlies in 1999 to became the first player from Senegal to join and play in the National Basketball Association.Born in Diourbel, N'Diaye came to the United...
were sent to Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
, while the Grizzlies received forwards Othella Harrington
Othella Harrington
Othella Harrington is a retired American professional basketball player and current coach. After he finished his high school career at Murrah High School, he played in college at Georgetown University where he teamed with NBA superstar Allen Iverson...
and Antoine Carr
Antoine Carr
Antoine Labotte Carr is a retired American basketball player. A 16-year NBA journeyman, he was known for the goggles he wore onto the court.-Early life:Antoine Carr was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma...
, guards Michael Dickerson
Michael Dickerson
Michael DeAngelo Dickerson is an American professional basketball player who was a member of the Houston Rockets and Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA. He is a cousin of former NBA guard David Wesley....
and Brent Price
Brent Price
Hartley Brent Price, better known as Brent Price , is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA. He is the younger brother of former Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Mark Price.- Career :...
, first- and second-round draft picks and cash. Francis would go on to win the Rookie of the Year Award
NBA Rookie of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1952–53 NBA season, to the top rookie of the regular season. The winner receives the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy, which is named in honor of the Philadelphia Warriors head...
, and was harassed both verbally and physically by fans when he played against the Grizzlies.
The 1999–2000 season
1999–2000 Vancouver Grizzlies season
-NBA Draft:-Steve Francis:Steve Francis was the 2nd overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft by the Vancouver Grizzlies out of the University of Maryland. He famously cried after being chosen by Vancouver, swearing the Chicago Bulls would regret selecting Elton Brand first overall instead...
saw Lionel Hollins
Lionel Hollins
-External links:***...
take over as coach after 22 matches, after Hill had only won four games. The season ended with 22 wins and 60 losses, placing the Grizzlies last in the division. The season also saw a large drop in attendance, averaging 13,899, ranking the team 27th in the league.
In the team's final season in Vancouver
2000–01 Vancouver Grizzlies season
The Vancouver Grizzlies played their final season in Vancouver. Entering their 6th season, the rumors of a move became a reality. Club Owner Michael Heisley, decided that it was time for the Grizzlies to move on. After 5 losing seasons had given the team low morale and decreasing support in the...
, Sidney Lowe
Sidney Lowe
Sidney Rochell Lowe is an American basketball coach and is currently an assistant coach with the Utah Jazz. He is a former NBA player and head coach, and has served as the head coach at North Carolina State University,.-Biography:Lowe began his career at DeMatha Catholic High School in...
was hired as head coach. Forward Stromile Swift
Stromile Swift
Stromile Swift is a former American professional basketball player. At 6'10" and 220 lbs, he played the power forward and center positions.- College and early NBA career :...
was selected as the second-overall pick in the draft
2000 NBA Draft
The 2000 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2000 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Until 2011, it was the last draft held at the home arena of an NBA team; the following and subsequent drafts have all taken place at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York. This draft is...
. The season ended with 23 wins and 59 losses, finishing last in the division. The team's final game at GM Place was against the Rockets on 14 April. The Vancouver Grizzlies' final match was a 95–81 win against the Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
on 18 April.
Relocation
Financially, the 1998 lockout was the turning point for the team. Attendance plummeted from a league average of 16,108 in the 1997–98 season to 13,899 in the 1999–2000 season, which was the third-lowest in the league. Orca Bay started losing money on operations, in part because of a weak Canadian dollar.Griffiths sold Orca Bay to Seattle-based John McCaw, Jr.
John McCaw, Jr.
John McCaw, Jr. is a businessman who formerly owned McCaw Cellular in Seattle, Washington and a former part-owner of the Vancouver Canucks NHL franchise, with Francesco Aquilini. On November 8, 2006, his 50% interest was sold to Aquilini, who became the sole owner.-References:*Bill Knight, ....
in 1995 and 1996. In September 1999, McCaw announced the sale of the Grizzlies, but not the arena or the Canucks, to NHL's St. Louis Blues
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team is named after the famous W. C. Handy song "St. Louis Blues", and plays in the 19,150-seat Scottrade...
-owner Bill Laurie for US$200 million. He stated that he intended to move the Grizzlies to St. Louis, but the transaction was stopped by the NBA.
Instead, McCaw sold the team to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
-based Michael Heisley
Michael Heisley
Michael E. Heisley is an American businessman who is the majority owner of the Memphis Grizzlies. He orchestrated the move of the team from Vancouver in 2001, after promising to keep the franchise in Vancouver when he purchased it in 2000...
for US$160 million. At the time he stated that he intended to keep the team in Vancouver, but immediately started a process to find a suitable relocation city in the US. After initially investigating Memphis, Las Vegas, New Orleans, St. Louis, Anaheim, San Diego, Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
and Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
. Memphis was announced as the preferred site on 26 March, even though a new venue would have to be built there. The NBA Board of Governors approved the move on 4 July.
Venue
General Motors Place was host to the Vancouver Grizzlies for all of their games before moving to Memphis, Tennessee. The Arena has since changed its name to Rogers Arena.Season-by-season record
While in Vancouver, the Grizzlies always played in the Midwest DivisionMidwest Division (NBA)
The Midwest Division was a division in the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division was created at the start of the 1970–71 season, when the league expanded from 14 to 17 teams with the addition of the Buffalo Braves, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Portland Trail...
of the Western Conference
Western Conference (NBA)
Below is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks....
.
| Season | Regular season | Post-season NBA Playoffs The National Basketball Association Playoffs is a best-of-seven elimination tournament among sixteen teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference , ultimately deciding the final four teams who will play in the NBA Conference Finals.-Format:Following the NBA regular season, eight teams in... |
Attendance | Ref | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | GP | W | L | Win% | ||||
| 1995–96 1995–96 Vancouver Grizzlies season The Vancouver Grizzlies along with the Toronto Raptors became expansion NBA franchises in 1995. They were the first NBA teams to play in Canada since 1946–47's Toronto Huskies. The Grizzlies got off to a solid start stunning the Portland Trail Blazers on the road 92–80 on November 3... |
7th | 82 | 15 | 67 | .183 | — | 17,183 | |
| 1996–97 1996–97 Vancouver Grizzlies season The 1996–97 Vancouver Grizzlies season was the Grizzlies second season in the National Basketball Association. Vancouver was coming off of an NBA worst record of 15–67 in the 1995–96 season.-NBA Draft:... |
7th | 82 | 14 | 68 | .171 | — | 16,571 | |
| 1997–98 1997–98 Vancouver Grizzlies season The 1997–98 Vancouver Grizzlies season was the Grizzlies third season in the National Basketball Association. Vancouver was coming off of an NBA worst record of 14–68 in the 1996–97 season.-NBA Draft:... |
6th | 82 | 19 | 63 | .232 | — | 16,108 | |
| 1998–99 1998–99 Vancouver Grizzlies season The 1998-99 Vancouver Grizzlies season was the Grizzlies fourth season in the National Basketball Association. The Grizzlies were coming off a franchise best record of 19-63 in the 1997-98 season, finishing out of last place for the first time in team history.... |
7th | 50 | 8 | 42 | .160 | — | 16,718 | |
| 1999–00 1999–2000 Vancouver Grizzlies season -NBA Draft:-Steve Francis:Steve Francis was the 2nd overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft by the Vancouver Grizzlies out of the University of Maryland. He famously cried after being chosen by Vancouver, swearing the Chicago Bulls would regret selecting Elton Brand first overall instead... |
7th | 82 | 22 | 60 | .268 | — | 13,899 | |
| 2000–01 2000–01 Vancouver Grizzlies season The Vancouver Grizzlies played their final season in Vancouver. Entering their 6th season, the rumors of a move became a reality. Club Owner Michael Heisley, decided that it was time for the Grizzlies to move on. After 5 losing seasons had given the team low morale and decreasing support in the... |
7th | 82 | 23 | 59 | .280 | — | 13,737 | |
Head coaches
Five people have been head coach for the Vancouver Grizzlies. The following lists the Grizzlies coaches while in Vancouver. It contains games coached (GC), wins (W), losses (L), winning percentageWinning percentage
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is defined as wins divided by wins plus losses . Ties count as a ½ loss and a ½ win...
(Win%) and number as coach (#).
| # | Name | Term | GC | W | L | Win% | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | – | 184 | 36 | 148 | .196 | ||
| 22 | 39 | 6 | 33 | .154 | |||
| 33 | – | 154 | 31 | 123 | .201 | ||
| 44 | 60 | 18 | 42 | .300 | |||
| 55 | – | 82 | 55 | 59 | .900 |