Tag: Grind City Media
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MikeCheck: Evaluating where every roster player stands as Grizzlies reach midpoint of preseason
After opening with victories over international teams Maccabi and New Zealand, new coach Taylor Jenkins and his retooled roster are in the midst of a six-day reprieve before their final three preseason games. Here is my Grind City Media view of where each player stands at the midpoint of the preseason as the Grizzlies get…
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MikeCheck: McNair insists there’s no QB controversy at Alcorn State – it’s Harper’s job as long as Braves keep rolling
MEMPHIS – When it comes to the quarterback position in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, there are burdens and then there are blessings. Alcorn State coach Fred McNair insists he’s not burdened with the Braves’ blessings. Alcorn State Braves head coach Fred McNair looks on from the sideline during the SWAC Championship football game between the…
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MikeCheck: Grizzlies big-man tandem Jackson and Valanciunas building ‘to become best frontcourt in the NBA’
MEMPHIS – A Duke education is hardly required to grasp the dynamics of a Grizzlies offense intentionally designed to induce Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jonas Valanciunas into an identity crisis. But thankfully, Blue Devils alum Grayson Allen was available to break down the new schemes and concepts in a way that simplified expectations on a…
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MikeCheck: Anderson approaching ‘100 percent’ confidence in shoulder as he adjusts to Grizzlies faster camp pace
MEMPHIS – When training camp opened earlier this week, Grizzlies forward Kyle Anderson was uncertain how much he could initially contribute in his return from offseason shoulder surgery.
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MikeCheck: Healed and hungry, Brooks ‘taking nothing for granted’ in camp quest to reclaim Grizzlies starting role
MEMPHIS – Under most circumstances, there would be inherent training camp benefits for returning as the Grizzlies’ longest-tenured player on the roster. Then there’s Dillon Brooks’ situation. “I played a whole year and then sat out practically all of last year,” Brooks said of a promising rookie season that gave way to a painful second-year…
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MikeCheck: Josh Jackson’s path to Grizzlies role will start on assignment with G League’s Memphis Hustle
MEMPHIS – Former NBA lottery pick Josh Jackson’s fresh start in Memphis this season will require earning that opportunity through a stint with the Grizzlies’ G League affiliate, team sources confirmed. Jackson’s representatives and the Grizzlies have mutually agreed to allow the forward to restore his reputation on and off the court through an undisclosed…
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MikeCheck: Rookie Clarke packs outside-the-box mentality and skillset for Grizzlies’ training camp
After a breakout summer spent putting action behind those draft night words, Clarke will embark on his first NBA training camp on Oct. 1 as arguably the most intriguing player on the Grizzlies’ roster. That’s a lofty projection considering Memphis also drafted dynamic point guard Ja Morant with the No. 2 pick in June’s and…
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MikeCheck: As first training camp looms, Jenkins eager to guide young Grizzlies into bright future
Spend 10 minutes with Taylor Jenkins, and it is easy to come away with multiple vibes. Sensing a man in the midst of an identity crisis is absolutely not among them. Set to open his first training camp as an NBA head coach with the Memphis Grizzlies at the end of the month, Jenkins knows…
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MikeCheck: Southern Heritage Classic a boon for Memphis, an early ‘bowl game’ for Tennessee State-Jackson State rivalry
Welcome to the 30th annual Southern Heritage Classic, where even a relatively pivotal, season-defining football game between two major HBCU programs takes a backseat to a slate of concerts, pageants, community service initiatives, band performances and more that will rock Memphis this weekend.
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MikeCheck: As Grizz teammates advance in FIBA World Cup, Watanabe and Japan build for 2020
MEMPHIS – For a moment, the score didn’t matter. Yuta Watanabe only wanted his teammates on the court for Japan to focus on the vast experience, the global exposure and the growing expectations that lay ahead. Still, the magnitude of the moment wasn’t lost on Watanabe when that capacity crowd in Shanghai roared every time…