Community

Grizzlies unveil throwbacks to celebrate franchise anniversaries

NEW TRI-STATE DEFENDER — On Thursday, the Grizzlies announced two sets of throwback jerseys, to commemorate two eras of the franchise. This season, Ja, Jaren and all other “J” players will rock the teal “Vancouver Grizzlies” jerseys, to celebrate the founding of the franchise 25 years ago. Then in the 2020-21 season, the team will don those classic black and teal jerseys to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the franchise’s move to Memphis in 2001.

Published

6 years ago

August 5, 2019

Oakland Post

By Lee Eric Smith

For years, I’ve watched as many NBA teams rolled out cool throwback jerseys . . . while the Memphis Grizzlies got them (mostly) wrong. I only thought I hated those “Memphis Pros” throwbacks . . . until they rolled out those horrendous yellow and green “Memphis Tams” throwbacks.

And the whole time, I’m thinking: “Dang. Those black and teal jerseys from the early 2000s . . . what’s wrong with those?” And at long last, the answer is: NOTHING.

On Thursday, the Grizzlies announced two sets of throwback jerseys, to commemorate two eras of the franchise. This season, Ja, Jaren and all other “J” players will rock the teal “Vancouver Grizzlies” jerseys, to celebrate the founding of the franchise 25 years ago. Then in the 2020-21 season, the team will don those classic black and teal jerseys to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the franchise’s move to Memphis in 2001.

“The opportunity to connect the history of our franchise over two consecutive seasons deserved a special approach,” said team president Jason Wexler in a statement. “It was an easy decision to bring back the iconic teal uniforms for the upcoming 25^th Season of the franchise and give our fans the classic look from the Vancouver era that they love.

“Looking ahead to next season, we get to celebrate the 20^th Season of the Grizzlies in Memphis with the Memphis Classic uniform, worn when the team first moved to Grind City,” Wexler added.

Finally, (and just when I was getting used to that horizontal hardwood thing) there will be a new court design.

“We wanted to go even further to enhance the in-game experience for our fans with an alternate court that celebrates and connects the best of both eras,” Wexler said. “From the black base and two-toned hardwood to the asymmetry that gives nods to our current design, this floor includes elements from every Grizzlies floor featured in both the Vancouver and early Memphis eras while bridging the past with the present.”

This article originally appeared in the New Tri-State Defender

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

Reunion honors deceased who attended local schools

Don't Miss

UAB’s Deborah Grimes Named one of the Most Influential Women in Corporate America

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of July 2- 8, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of July 2 – 8, 2025

Published

1 day ago

July 7, 2025

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

Trump Set to Sign Largest Cut to Medicaid After a Marathon Protest Speech by Leader Jeffries

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The bill also represents the biggest cut in Medicare in history and is a threat to the health care coverage of over 15 million people. The spending in Trump’s signature legislation also opens the door to a second era of over-incarceration in the U.S.

Published

4 days ago

July 3, 2025

Oakland Post

By Lauren Burke

By a vote of 218 to 214, the GOP-controlled U.S. House passed President Trump’s massive budget and spending bill that will add $3.5 trillion to the national debt, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The bill also represents the biggest cut in Medicare in history and is a threat to the health care coverage of over 15 million people. The spending in Trump’s signature legislation also opens the door to a second era of over-incarceration in the U.S. With $175 billion allocated in spending for immigration enforcement, the money for more police officers eclipsed the 2026 budget for the U.S. Marines, which is $57 billion. Almost all of the policy focus from the Trump Administration has focused on deporting immigrants of color from Mexico and Haiti.

The vote occurred as members were pressed to complete their work before the arbitrary deadline of the July 4 holiday set by President Trump. It also occurred after Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries took the House floor for over 8 hours in protest. Leader Jeffries broke the record in the U.S. House for the longest floor speech in history on the House floor. The Senate passed the bill days before and was tied at 50-50, with Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski saying that, “my hope is that the House is gonna look at this and recognize that we’re not there yet.” There were no changes made to the Senate bill by the House. A series of overnight phone calls to Republicans voting against, not changes, was what won over enough Republicans to pass the legislation, even though it adds trillions to the debt. The Trump spending bill also cuts money to Pell grants.

“The Big Ugly Bill steals food out of the hands of starving children, steals medicine from the cabinets of cancer patients, and equips ICE with more funding and more weapons of war than the United States Marine Corps. Is there any question of who those agents will be going to war for, or who they will be going to war against? Beyond these sadistic provisions, Republicans just voted nearly unanimously to close urban and rural hospitals, cripple the child tax credit, and to top it all off, add $3.3 trillion to the ticking time bomb that is the federal deficit – all from a party that embarrassingly pretends to stand for fiscal responsibility and lowering costs,” wrote Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Yvette Clarke (D-NY) in a statement on July 3.

“The Congressional Budget Office predicts that 17 million people will lose their health insurance, including over 322,000 Virginians. It will make college less affordable. Three million people will lose access to food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). And up to 16 million students could lose access to free school meals. The Republican bill does all of this to fund tax breaks for millionaires, billionaires, and corporations,” wrote Education and Workforce Committee ranking member Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) in a statement. The bill’s passage has prompted Democrats to start thinking about 2026 and the next election cycle. With the margins of victory in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate being so narrow, many are convinced that the balance of power and the question of millions being able to enjoy health care come down to only several thousand votes in congressional elections. But currently, Republicans controlled by the MAGA movement control all three branches of government. That reality was never made more stark and more clear than the last seven days of activity in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate.