Best Draft Pick In Memphis Grizzlies History

The Grizzlies franchise began life in Vancouver in 1995, relocating six years later to Memphis, Tennessee. Before declaring who the best draft pick in Grizzlies history is, it is important to acknowledge two players from different eras of the franchise’s history.  

Shareef Abdur-Rahim was selected third overall by the Vancouver Grizzlies in 1996 after just one season with the California Golden Bears. Averaging over 20 points per game in four of his five Vancouver seasons, Abdur-Rahim was the most talented player the franchise had during its struggling early years. 

Ja Morant, selected second overall in 2019 out of Murray State, is the other. The exact opposite of Abdur-Rahim, Morant was electric from the moment he arrived, capturing the Rookie of the Year, Most Improved Player, two All-Star appearances, and a spot on the All-NBA Team within his first four years while providing the kind of highlight-reel athleticism that filled arenas and dominated social media. Unfortunately, a series of injuries and poor decisions have led the Grizzlies to explore relocation options for Morant. 

When it comes to who the best draft pick is in the Grizzlies franchise history, the answer belongs to one of the more underappreciated players in league history, Mike Conley. 

After winning three State Championships during his four years at Lawrence North High School, Conley was part of a recruiting package by the Ohio State Buckeyes as they sought to sign Greg Oden, the top high school player in 2006. Following a one-and-done season with the Buckeyes in which the team reached the NCAA Championship game, Conley declared for the NBA Draft. 

Selected fourth overall in the 2007 NBA Draft, Conley was part of a class featuring Greg Oden, Kevin Durant, and Al Horford. 

His start in Memphis was anything but smooth. Joining a team that was coming off a 20-62 season, Conley played in just 53 games as a rookie, starting 46. Sharing a backcourt with Kyle Lowry and Damon Stoudamire, it took some time for the rookie to earn the trust of his coaches and teammates before being given the keys to the offense. Averaging 9.4 points and 4.2 assists, Conley’s first season was solid but unspectacular as the Grizzlies posted the same win-loss record as the season prior. 

Conley continued coming off the bench at the start of his second NBA season until the team traded Lowry at the trade deadline, opening the door for Conley to slide into the starting role, one that he would not relinquish. 

Although he was never a superstar, Conley was everything the franchise needed: a steady, relentless, hardworking point guard. In 2011, he helped the Grizzlies snap a four-year playoff drought and win the franchise's first playoff series. He would go on to help guide Memphis to the postseason seven consecutive years from 2011 to 2017, including a run to the Western Conference Finals in 2013. 

Over twelve seasons in Memphis, Conley became the franchise's all-time leader in points, assists, steals, games played, and three-pointers made. A perennial Sportsmanship Award winner (he has won it four times during his career), named NBA Teammate of the Year in 2019, Conley was (and still is) one of the most respected players in the league. While his stats were never elite, there were several seasons in which Conley found himself snubbed from the All-Star game. 

Conley was traded to Utah in 2019 as the Grizzlies entered a rebuilding process, ending a twelve-year run without significant fanfare, justified appreciation, or a championship. Ironically, the player the Grizzlies replaced Conley with (Morant) has been the exact opposite on and off the court, yet the results have been the same.