Vancouver Grizzlies
In February 1993, Arthur Griffiths announced his hope to bring an NBA franchise to Vancouver. He owned the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League through Northwest Sports Enterprises. Griffiths was developing a privately owned 20,000-seat arena for the Canucks in downtown Vancouver. The arena was scheduled for completion for the 1995, 96 season. The Toronto Raptors were awarded an expansion franchise on the 30th of September 1993. On the 14th of February 1994, the NBA's Expansion Committee gave preliminary approval for Vancouver. Full approval came from the Board of Governors on the 27th of April 1994. Both franchises paid a fee of US$125 million. This amount rose significantly from the $32.5 million paid during the 1988, 89 expansion. The Grizzlies became the NBA's 29th franchise.
One major hindrance for the expansion involved wagering laws. The NBA wanted British Columbia to abolish betting on Grizzlies games. They demanded removing the games from Sports Actions betting. NBA betting accounted for CA$1.56 million in 1993. Profits went directly to provincial health care. There was large public opposition against these league demands. The issue resolved itself on the 9th of February 1994. The franchise company agreed to donate $500,000 per year to health care instead.
The company hired Stu Jackson as general manager on the 22nd of July 1994. He was head coach of the University of Wisconsin Badgers at that time. Jackson started by hiring a scouting department headed by Larry Riley. Original proposals named the team the Vancouver Mounties. Objections from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police forced a name change. The new name announced on August 11 honored the bear indigenous to British Columbia. Team colors were turquoise, bronze and red.
To start playing, the team needed to sell 12,500 season tickets with 50 percent payment before the 1st of January 1995. This number exceeded sales targets for other teams like Orlando Magic and Minnesota Timberwolves. On the 21st of December 1994, only about 10,000 tickets had been sold. Shoppers Drug Mart purchased the necessary 2,500 tickets to push the team over the limit. On the 7th of March 1995, the majority of the holding company sold from Griffiths to John McCaw, Jr. They created Orca Bay Sports and Entertainment in August.
Every year except the 1998, 99 season, the Grizzlies played the Raptors in the pre-season Naismith Cup. Their first official contest was against the Portland Trail Blazers. Both the first game and the following game against the Timberwolves were won. The team then lost 19 straight games. They set an NBA single-season record of 23 straight losses between February and April. That record has since been bested by later teams. The season ended with 15 wins and 67 losses. The .196 winning percentage stood as the lowest in the whole league.
Shareef Abdur-Rahim was selected third overall by the Grizzlies in the 1996 NBA draft. The team traded for Anthony Peeler and George Lynch on the 16th of July 1996. Abdur-Rahim became the team's leading scorer immediately. He set a franchise record of 18.7 points per game. He finished third in balloting for the NBA Rookie of the Year award. By the end of the 1996, 97 season, he led scoring on 33 occasions. Brian Winters was removed as head coach after 43 games. Stu Jackson replaced him for the remainder of that season. The Grizzlies won only 14 games that year again finishing last in the league.
The 1997, 98 season saw Brian Hill hired as head coach. Vancouver selected Antonio Daniels with the fourth pick. The team traded to get Otis Thorpe for the 2003 first-round draft pick. They also acquired Sam Mack for Rodrick Rhodes. Both new players would play a single season for the Grizzlies. The team won 19 games placing sixth in the division ahead of Denver. They ranked 25th overall in the league.
Ahead of the 1998, 99 season, the Grizzlies signed free agent Cherokee Parks. They traded Daniels for Felipe López and Carl Herrera. In the draft, they selected Mike Bibby with the second overall pick. During the lockout-shortened season, Abdur-Rahim elevated his performance to 23.0 points per game. This stood as the highest average of his career. The season reduced to only 50 games due to the lockout. Vancouver finished with 8 wins and 42 losses yielding an all-time low winning percentage of .160.
Financially, the lockout occurring in 1998 marked the turning point for the team. Attendance plummeted from a league average of 16,108 in the 1997, 98 season. It dropped to 13,899 in the 1999, 2000 season. This figure ranked third-lowest in the entire league. Orca Bay started losing money on operations during this period. A weak Canadian dollar contributed significantly to these operational losses.
The 1998, 99 season saw attendance actually register a slight increase despite the lockout. However, the following years showed steep declines. The 1999, 2000 season averaged just 13,899 spectators. This placed the team 27th in the league. The 2000, 01 season ended with 23 wins and 59 losses. Attendance dropped further to 13,737 that final year. These numbers reflected the financial strain on the ownership group.
Brian Winters coached the first two seasons before being replaced by Stu Jackson. Brian Hill took over for the 1997, 98 campaign but only won four games in the 1999, 2000 season. Lionel Hollins then took charge after 22 games. He was relieved as head coach following that same season. Sidney Lowe was hired for the 2000, 01 final season. Despite finishing with a franchise-best 23 wins, they still finished last in their division.
Griffiths sold Orca Bay to John McCaw, Jr. in 1995 and 1996. In September 1999, McCaw announced the sale of the Grizzlies to Bill Laurie. The deal valued the team at US$200 million. It excluded the arena or the Canucks which remained with Laurie's NHL Blues organization. He stated his intention to move the Grizzlies to St. Louis. The NBA stopped this transaction from proceeding.
Instead, McCaw sold the team to Michael Heisley for US$160 million. Heisley came from Chicago. At the time he stated he intended to keep the team in Vancouver. He immediately started a process to find a suitable relocation city in the United States. Cities considered included Memphis, Nashville, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Tampa, Anaheim, San Diego, Buffalo and Louisville. All required construction of new venues except one.
Memphis was announced as the recipient city on the 26th of March 2001 pending league approval. The NBA Board of Governors approved the move on the 3rd of July 2001. The team moved to Tennessee for the 2001, 02 season. The last active Vancouver Grizzlies player in the NBA was Mike Bibby who retired after playing for the New York Knicks following the 2011, 12 season. Stromile Swift remained the last Vancouver player on Memphis' active roster until the 2007-08 season.
The original uniforms featured Indigenous imagery with red accents on the piping. Home uniforms were white with turquoise letters and black and bronze trim. Road uniforms were turquoise with white letters and black and bronze trim. The front displayed the full team name from the logo. An alternate howling bear design appeared on the left leg. The ball and claws logo also added to the beltline.
In the 1997, 98 season, the Grizzlies added a black alternate uniform. It featured only the city name in front with thick turquoise and thin red stripes. Letters were white with red and turquoise trim. The G-bear logo sat on the right leg while the paw logo stayed on the beltline. This uniform became primary for the 2000, 01 season. A corresponding white uniform unveiled that season had team names in black with red and turquoise trim.
Both original Vancouver uniforms have since been brought back by the current Memphis Grizzlies. They returned the turquoise version during the 2019, 20 season. The white version returned for the 2024, 25 season. These revivals marked the franchise's 25th and 30th anniversaries respectively.
The team has been subject of two documentary films by Vancouver filmmaker Kathleen Jayme. Finding Big Country released in 2018 explored stories of basketball fandom and heroes. The Grizzlie Truth followed in 2022 featuring interviews with figures like Stu Jackson. These films preserved the cultural impact of the short-lived franchise.
General Motors Place hosted all games before moving to Memphis. The arena later changed its name to Rogers Arena. Five people served as head coach for the Vancouver Grizzlies over six seasons. The team won 101 total games across their existence. They lost 359 games without ever qualifying for the NBA playoffs. Their final home game at GM Place occurred on the 14th of April 2001 against the Rockets. The last game as the Vancouver Grizzlies was a 95, 81 win against Golden State Warriors on the 18th of April 2001.
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Common questions
When was the Vancouver Grizzlies team founded and when did they cease operations?
The Vancouver Grizzlies began play in the 1995, 96 season after receiving full approval from the NBA Board of Governors on the 27th of April 1994. The franchise ceased to exist as a Vancouver entity following their relocation to Memphis for the 2001, 02 season.
Who owned the Vancouver Grizzlies and what were the financial challenges they faced?
Arthur Griffiths initially developed the team through Northwest Sports Enterprises before selling it to John McCaw Jr. who created Orca Bay Sports and Entertainment. Financial struggles arose due to a weak Canadian dollar and declining attendance which dropped to 13,899 spectators during the 1999, 2000 season.
What was the final record and playoff history of the Vancouver Grizzlies?
The team won 101 total games and lost 359 games across six seasons without ever qualifying for the NBA playoffs. Their best finish occurred in the 2000, 01 season with 23 wins while still placing last in their division.
Why did the Vancouver Grizzlies relocate to Memphis instead of staying in Canada?
Michael Heisley purchased the team in September 1999 but immediately began searching for a suitable relocation city in the United States. The NBA Board of Governors approved the move to Tennessee on the 3rd of July 2001 after rejecting an earlier attempt by Bill Laurie to move the franchise to St. Louis.
Who were the head coaches of the Vancouver Grizzlies and what uniforms did they wear?
Five people served as head coach including Stu Jackson Brian Hill Lionel Hollins and Sidney Lowe over the teams existence. Original uniforms featured turquoise bronze and red colors with Indigenous imagery before the team adopted black alternate designs in the 1997, 98 season.