Vancouver Grizzlies

The brief but memorable Canadian chapter of the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Vancouver Grizzlies were a Canadian professional basketball team based in Vancouver. The Grizzlies competed in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Midwest Division of the Western Conference. 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 was renamed the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies played their home games at General Motors Place (now Rogers Arena) for all of their six seasons in Vancouver.

Quick Facts

Conference: Western
Division: Midwest
Founded: 1995
History: Vancouver Grizzlies; 1995–2001; Memphis Grizzlies; 2001–present
Arena: General Motors Place
City: Vancouver, British Columbia
Owner: Orca Bay Sports and Entertainment (1995–2000); Michael Heisley (2000–2001)

Lore & Background

Like most expansion teams, the Grizzlies struggled in their early years. The team finished last in their division in all but one season (1997-98 Denver Nuggets), and never won more than 30% of its games in any of the team's seasons in Vancouver. In total, the team won 101 games, lost 359, and never qualified for the NBA playoffs. The two expansion teams were denied early draft picks in the first season, but the Grizzlies secured Shareef Abdur-Rahim in 1996 and Mike Bibby with the second pick of the 1998 NBA draft. The team continued to lose games despite high draft picks. After they selected Steve Francis as second pick in 1999, he refused 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 lose 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 to Memphis, Tennessee, for the 2001–02 season.

Reader's Guide

The Grizzlies' first official contest was against the Portland Trail Blazers; both the first game and the following game against the Timberwolves were 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 1995–96 season ended with 15 wins and 67 losses. The 1996–97 season saw the team win only 14 games, again the worst in the whole league. In the 1997–98 season, the team won 19 games, placing sixth in the Midwest Division, ahead of the Denver Nuggets, and 25th overall in the league. During the 1998–99 season, the team finished with 8 wins and 42 losses, yielding the all-time low winning percentage of .160.

Did You Know?

The Grizzlies were the first NBA team to have a website, created in 1995 by Bob Kerstein.
The team was originally proposed to be called the Vancouver Mounties, but objections from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police forced a name change.
The Grizzlies' colors were turquoise, bronze and red.
The team's first player was free agent Kevin Pritchard, signed before the 1995 draft.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where did the team play their home games?

All six of their seasons in Canada were played at the General Motors Place arena in downtown Vancouver. They never moved venues during their entire run before leaving for Memphis.

Did the Vancouver Grizzlies ever make the playoffs?

Despite playing six seasons, the team failed to qualify for the NBA postseason even once. Their overall record stood at 101 wins and 359 losses, making them one of the worst expansion teams in league history.

What division did they compete in?

The Grizzlies were assigned to the Midwest Division of the Western Conference during their time in Vancouver. They finished last in this division for five out of their six seasons before departing.