While the Grizzlies franchise has only been in Memphis since the 2001-2002 season, ranking the top 10 Memphis Grizzlies can be a contentious debate. We have ranked the top 10—not 10 best—Memphis Grizzlies of all time.
We took into consideration not only the performance and stats of these players but what they meant to the organization and city while playing.
10. Mike Miller (2003-2008)
Mike Miller was raining down threes during his tenure with the Grizz—even before Curry changed the face of the game and made such an approach a regular NBA offensive strategy. This led to Miller receiving the Sixth Man of the Year Award in 2006. Miller also gets kudos for returning to Memphis and acting as assistant coach from 2018-2020.
9. Desmond Bane (2020-Present)
Is it too soon to put Bane on this list, especially at number 9? We think not. While Bane made NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2021, his performance in 2022 was what made the Grizzlies a championship contender, averaging over 18 points a game. Nobody should be surprised if Bane moves up on such lists in future years as the Grizz continue their push to become perennial contenders.
8. Jaren Jackson, Jr. (2018-Present)
Some might argue that J3 should be higher on this list, but we think it he has time to prove that. As an NBA All-Defensive First Team (2022) and All-Rookie First Team (2019) standout, J3 brings versatility to the floor, making clutch impressions on both the offensive and defensive ends of the court. We still believe his breakout year is yet to come.
7. Pau Gasol (2001-2008)
The NBA Rookie of the Year and Six-Time All-Star played for Memphis a little bit before he truly blossomed, but we have to appreciate what he did for the franchise. If the Grizzlies had been stacked like the Lakers (when Pau played for the Lakers), then it’d be a different story.
6. Marc Gasol (2008-2019)
Talk about a both-ends-of-the-court force: Marc set a franchise record for field goal percentage in 2008 (53%, breaking his brother’s previous record of 52%), and he was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2013. Marc was an All-Star three of his years at Memphis, and he was a defining piece of the Grit and Grind era, one of the Grindfathers.
5. Vince Carter (2014-2017)
The ageless Vince Carter never disappointed. Some might say we have him ranked too high, that he played for the Grizz during his downside twilight years. But Vince played another three seaons after the Grizz, playing well into his 40s. Even in his late 30s, Vince would grind. Everybody would cheer when Vince would hit the floor. He brought veteran leadership and heart to a franchise situated in a city that needed just that. Vince helped show that, even in the NBA, character and work ethic counts for something—and sometimes it can beat out young talent.
4. Tony Allen (2010-2017)
As one of the Grindfathers, Tony Allen won NBA Defensive First Team three years while playing for the Grizz (2012, 2013, 2015). He brought sexy back by showing that defense can be sexy, too. You just didn’t toy with Tony. He would shut down even the most prolific scorers in the league.
3. Mike Conley (2007-2019)
Conley was the centerpiece of the Grit and Grind era, leading the Grizz as the point guard. But he wasn’t just an offensive leader. He was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2013, as defense was the name of the game for all the Grindfathers. He also won the NBA Sportsmanship Award three times (2014, 2016, 2019), and it’s because of his class that he didn’t get enough calls during the playoffs (“he’s got class, even though they’re trying to rook us, so take that for data!”). While Grizz fans have surely been pleased with Ja at point following the departure of Conley, we all look back fondly on the days of Conley leading a hustle and flow team. We were all also happy to see him finally get an All-Star bid in 2021, albeit not with the Grizz.
2. Zach Randolph (2009-2017)
Do we need to even explain why Z-Bow is number 2 on our list? He was a badass mofo when he played for the Grizz, the defining piece of the Grindfathers during the Grit and Grind era. Z-BowJ was pure heart—pure Memphis heart. While never the most talented player on the team, his sweat-band-around-head persona became the image of the Grizz during his tenure with the franchise. He still regularly shows up to games, and he always gets a standing ovation. We can only hope that he rejoins the organization in some capacity in the future. He’s a Beale Street gem.
1. Ja Morant (2019-Present)
It goes without saying that the NBA Rookie of the Year (2020), Most Improved Player (2022), NBA All-Star (2022), and likely future, perennial MVP contender is number 1 on our list. Ja is the primary reason the Grizz have such a bright future, might win a title. In retrospect, Grizz fans likely feel pretty lucky that we ended up with the second lottery pick rather than the first in the 2019 NBA draft, as we could not have anticipated such a game-changing talent. If Ja stays healthy, he’s a lock for the Hall of Fame.
