Rogers Arena played host to the team that could when the Toronto Raptors rolled into town for a preseason stop in the fourth annual NBA Canada Series Oct. 4.
Many fans were thrilled to have the opportunity to watch the Raptors post the 93-73 win over the Los Angeles Clippers in person, but the game was also a reminder of the team that inevitably couldn’t — the Vancouver Grizzlies.
There was nary a quiet moment at the merch table outside the arena where many showed no hesitation in forking out 140 bucks for Kyle Lowry’s No. 7 Raptors jersey or 85 beans for the black hoodie with the popular “We the North” slogan in white block letters. Hanging beside them were Grizzlies jerseys in teal, a colour reminiscent of the walls of a 1990s suburban aerobics studio, which is a good indication in itself of how many years have passed since this city had a NBA team.
The Grizzlies lasted six years in Vancouver. The franchise started in 1995 along with the Raptors, as part of the NBA’s expansion north of the border. Both teams gasped for air during their early years, partially due to the league’s restrictive rules (i.e. not being allowed to draft first overall even if they’d won the lottery), but it was Toronto that started to show potential by the fourth season. The Grizzlies, on the other hand, never moved out of the league basement thanks to a horrendous record of 101 games won and 359 lost.
Orca Bay Sports and Entertainment sold the team and it moved out of GM Place (later renamed Rogers Arena) to Memphis, Tenn. for the 2001-02 season, leaving the Raptors the bragging rights of being the only Canadian NBA team.
But, despite the record, questionable draft picks and stories of head-shaking management decisions, fans in Vancouver still love their Grizzlies.
Bill Sarai drove to Vancouver from Kamloops with his family for Sunday’s game, which marked the Clippers’ first visit to Vancouver since April 4, 2001, partially for the experience and partially to do his part in showing the powers-that-be that Vancouver deserves a second shot at having its own NBA team, no matter how miniscule the odds of that actually happening.
“I remember being here for the [L.A.] Lakers and Grizzlies game and it was awesome, it was a packed house,” said Sarai. “But they were 10 years too early, I think. I was big-time disappointed when we lost them. Because once you lose a team, it will never come back.”
Sarai, who bought his son Nick a Grizzlies jersey with Mike Bibby’s No. 10 an hour before waiting in line to get into the arena, said the city is in a better position to support a team now than it was 20 years ago.
“Basketball is really youth-driven and youth are more into basketball now,” he said. “It’s everywhere. There’s some real interest here.”
That sentiment was echoed by Vishal Lekhi and his raucous group of 20 friends who marched onto the arena’s concourse all in white T-shirts printed with their catchphrase #VancouverWantsNBA.
“We want to show Vancouver can support another team,” said Lekhi. “We are ready. Vancouver is ready.”
It was no surprise when Teri Parker and her brother Mike said the exact same thing. Teri wore a vintage Champion-brand Grizzlies jersey bought for her when she was 12 years old while Mike wore a recent birthday gift, a newer teal jersey with Bryant “Big Country” Reeves No. 50 on the back. (Mike was eight when he went to Grizzlies games and remembered being enthralled by Reeves’ nickname. “What kid didn’t like the name ‘Big Country’?” His older sister, though, remembers being more impressed with scoring leader Shareef Abdur-Rahim.)
“If basketball came back here, I would buy a season pack,” said Teri. “I don’t care how much it would cost.”
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