[NBA 2K23][Memphis 2002-03] Making Grizztory

[Raps in 4]

The phone rang.

I wondered who it was. I wasn't used to getting phone calls these days.
Especially since I had moved to Memphis, Tennessee. Hardly anybody knew me here.

"Hello?"

"Hello. You are speaking with Dan Corbin, former NBA player and current agent of Grizzlies' member Jason Williams.
Is it possible for you to meet with Jason and me tomorrow?"

The NBA on the phone? That was a nice surprise.
After Dutchman Rik Smits had retired from basketball, so had I from writing about it.

After his retirement I'd been trying to make ends meet by writing about the music industry.
But my real love was sports journalism, and basketball in particular.
I ended up in Memphis, Tennessee, just a year before the NBA followed me there by relocation.

"Can you meet with us tomorrow?" Corbin asked me.
"We are interested in hiring you."

I made the appointment, hung up the phone and started pondering about what was coming next,
about the Memphis Grizzlies. and about Jason Williams.

This boyish point guard with his dazzling dribble style, the flashy no look passes and a quick trigger from threepoint range.
Such a promising young player, who suddenly found himself traded from a championship contender to the new Grizzlies team
7 months ago because his former Head Coach thought he didn't mature fast enough.

Must have crushed him.

The Grizzlies' arena had been empty more often than not, and so they pulled the trigger on trading for a popular and exciting young player.

With the trade the hype train had died though, as Williams continued to be inefficient from the floor and then some
on the Grizzlies, the past season, while 'leading' the Grizzlies to just 23 wins in the entire year.

A normal team might continue to tank hard especially with a presumably great draft class coming up,
but unfortunately for the Grizzlies, they didn't own their own draft pick in the 2003 NBA draft, so that was out of the question.

Early days tomorrow. Back to sports journalism. I couldn't wait, but the excitement kept me up for hours.


GAME: NBA 2K23
SEASON: 2002/03
TEAM: MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES

ROSTER:
JASON WILLIAMS, PAU GASOL, SHANE BATTIER, STROMILE SWIFT, WESLEY PERSON, DREW GOODEN, BREVIN KNIGHT, LORENZEN WRIGHT,
EARL WATSON, ROBERT ARCHIBALD, GORDAN GIRICEK, MICHAEL DICKERSON, ISIAH PARKER, MIKE BATISTE, CHRIS OWENS

82 game REGULAR SEASON
4 ROUNDS of PLAYOFFS (Best Of 7)
8 MINUTE QUARTERS

[Andrew]

Interesting angle for a story topic! Looking forward to seeing this one develop.

[kibaxx7]

To see this section receiving an injection of life makes me so happy.

[Raps in 4]

Andrew, kibaxx7, thanks for the replies


"Hello! You must be Martin!
I'm Dan Corbin, NBA player agent. I represent Jason Williams.
Jason will be here any minute."

"Hello. Martin de Vries. Nice to meet you."

"Likewise, likewise!
Let's get straight to the point, Martin.
The Memphis Grizzlies are going to hire you to be a beat writer for them.
But... you're really going to be working for us. For me. For Jason."

"I'm not sure I understand."

"I am going to convince the owner to hire you.
He is a great businessman.
He understands that businesses need to promote their product.
Basketball is no different.
Hey Jason!! This is the writer I was telling you about."

Jason Williams had come up to us.
He stuck his hand out and I shook it.

"J-Dub."

"Hello. I am Martin de Vries. Big fan."

"Thanks. So you're the guy who's gonna get me out of this shithole, are you?"

I couldn't believe what I had just heard.

"You gotta get me out of here man."

"Look, Martin," said Corbin.
"Jason is not so happy to be here right now.
At this point in his career.
Believe me when I say I work the clock and the phones all day every day
to get teams interested in him as a player, but an agent can only do so much.
Press.... Good press.... And of course good play on the court..."

He looked at Jason.

"You know that Jason, right? You have to play better..."

"Anyway, Martin, good press... we need good press, and lots of it.
That's where you come in.
Jason was a national, I mean, really, an international sensation in Sacramento...
Now he is an afterthought in the league. Good press can change that.
YOU... can change that!"

He looked at Jason again.

"And you too, Jason! Well off you go, get in the gym!
Martin, you can consider yourself hired.
You'll be with the team wherever they go!
Get your airmiles up!"

Williams was gone, presumably to the locker room, to prepare for practice.

"What I'd like you to do right now is watch the practice,
and write about it tonight.
I will have a website set up for you to publish it on.
The sooner the articles get out the better.
We need the home arena filled up with fans, Martin.
Jason and the team thrive on that.
Every team starts at 0-0 in the new season and the fans are excited.
We have to take advantage of the opportunity."

That morning and afternoon I watched the practices of the Memphis Grizzlies team.
Two-a-days, as training camp had just started.
After practice had ended they took me to sign my contract.
I was now an official member of the NBA work force again.
I rushed back home to write my first article about the team.

[JuicyShaqMeat]

Nice! I look forward to reading this MyNBA story

Hope I get inspiration from this thread for a new one from myself

[Raps in 4]

JuicyShaqMeat, thanks for the reply

It was day 2 of Training Camp. It was going to be long day for me.
After the two scheduled practices a press conference at the FedEx Forum would be held.
I was going to have a 1-on-1 interview with Lorenzen Wright.
The team desired it.

The practices were led by the Assistant Coach.
There were only 10 players in practice.
Maybe the other 5 players were resting from the previous day, or had small injuries.
I didn't think much of it. However I did notice that Lorenzen Wright was one of the players missing.
It had me worried a bit, almost as a fan would be.
A season ending injury would be devastating, but perhaps that was the reason
the team had scheduled an interview, I speculated.

The second practice had just ended, when Lorenzen Wright walked into the gym.
He was wearing a suit. He shook hands and hugged with of some the other players.
Then he turned to Jason. "J-Dub!"
"Jason!"

"What's up, man?" Jason asked.

"I just wanted to say I thoroughly enjoyed playing with you, man."

"Why? What's up?" Jason asked.

"I've been traded," Lorenzen said.

"What?? This business is ruthless, man! How are they gonna do you like that?"

"It's okay, it really is," Lorenzen said.
"This is a great opportunity for me, honestly."

"Why, where are you going? The Lakers?"

"Sacramento."

"Oh, what? That's crazy!" Williams said.
"Who are we getting?"

"I don't know," Wright said.

[Andrew]

The things that beat writers learn! A bit of drama to tip things off.

[Raps in 4]

thanks again for the replies

General Manager Jerry West opened the press conference. Lorenzen Wright was also present.



"Welcome everybody. We have some big news for you all today.
The news is threefold.

First, we can announce that a coaching change has been made.
Hubie Brown will be the next Head Coach of the Memphis Grizzlies.
We have signed him for three seasons.
He is not here today but will be as soon as tomorrow,
and he will be available for the press then after practice.
We are very happy to have him.
We felt we needed to make a coaching change.
The Front Office of the Grizzlies has had a desire to have a young talented coach
who could grow together with a young team. I however, feel that it's time
for a very experienced Head Coach, to help lead the young talent that we have on this team.
That man is Hubie Brown. He's not only a good coach, he is also well liked by the players."

"I can answer questions later about the coaching change.
Right now however, I want to focus on the second point on the agenda."

"Trades have been made to improve the roster.
Unfortunately, we will have to say goodbye to Lorenzen Wright,
who is here right beside me.
He is going to the Sacramento Kings and we wish him all the best.
In return we are receiving two young players who can play both forward positions.
The players are Hedo Turkoglu and Gerald Wallace.
Turkoglu is 23 years old and Wallace 20."

"In other trades we have acquired center Chris Mihm from the Cleveland Cavaliers,
and center Dale Davis and point guard Jeff McInnis from the Portland Trailblazers."

"Tomorrow all the new players that we acquired will arrive here,
and join the team in a light practice. Probably just a shoot-around.
You can interview them then."



"The third thing that we want to express today is that the Memphis Grizzlies
will not be participating in this year's preseason campaign of the NBA.
We are extending our training camp, and will not have any preseason games this year."

"Well, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming, and I will have half an hour for your questions now."