The Grizzlies were not an appealing team in the early years.
When the Grizzlies were still playing in Vancouver, they were an unpopular team because people disliked the idea of playing in Canada. Players like Steve Francis refused to play for the team even though he was drafted second overall in 1999.
That was different for the Grizzlies’ third overall pick in 1996, Shareef Abdur-Rahim. The reliable forward was a mainstay for the starting lineup from his rookie year, even signing a six-year contract extension worth $71 million in 1999. He committed to the team when Vancouver was an unpopular destination…