Pinch Me

For as long as I can remember, I've been a Grizzlies fan. 

I remember Tony Allen stripping Klay Thompson and berating the Warriors crowd after. I remember Rudy Gay crossing prime LeBron in front of a prime Memphis home crowd. I remember being in the stands for Zach Randolph's first and only career triple double against the Clippers. I remember the revolving door of motley crew supporting cast members; Joakim Noah,  Quincy Pondexter, MarShon Brooks, Beno Udrih, Birdman Anderson, or Nick Calathes. I remember the lows of the Chandler Parsons experience just as I remember every Conley-Gasol pick and roll.

I remember that "We don't bluff", and to "Whoop that trick". Tony Allen loudly reminded me that he's First Team All-Defense  every time it mattered. Memphis had a knack for these kinds of iconic quotes. It might be the city. It might be the people in it. It really might just be clever marketing. I didn't mind either way. Take that for data. 

To me, the appeal of Memphis has always been that hard-nosed camaraderie of the group rather than an individual. I don't know what it feels like to root for a superhero like Kobe or James Harden. Conley's playoff career high is 35. Marc Gasol's is 32. Every great Grizzlies team could hang with anyone else around the league, but never had enough to push themselves over the top. They were always the feel-good gritty team, never the champion.

More than that, it never felt like they could be the champs. I entered each season looking for a fun ride, and outside of 2018, I usually got one. Like it or not, the NBA is a stars league. The last two decades of NBA titles have all been won be certified top 35 players ever. The Grizzlies have never had a player who could even sniff that caliber, let alone even top 10 in the league at their time. Until now.

Ja Morant has arrived, playing and carrying himself like a refined Frankenstein of every iconic Rucker Park hooper all at once. 

His ascension has been euphoric to watch. I hang onto every highlight like its lightning in a bottle. I don't know how much longer I'll be able to, but I'll soak in as much of it as possible while its real. Memphis has finally found it's savior, a genuine NBA superstar who just scored 47 in a win against the title favorites. 

I never thought I'd be able to remember a moment like this, or a player like this. Even as it happens it seems unbelievable. Memphis has never been a superstar's town. Out of seemingly nowhere, a superstar has arrived. I've dreamed about a moment like this for years. This has been so incredible that I might still be dreaming.

Someone pinch me.