When the Grizzlies' season ended, general manager Zach Kleiman emphasized bringing in players that fit the culture of the grit and grind nature the city of Memphis loves to rally behind. With the last pick of the 2025 NBA draft, Kleiman drafted arguably the best defensive player in the draft in former University of Tennessee guard Jahmai Mashack.
Tony Allen is one of the most recognizable faces in the Grizzlies' franchise history, as he just had his jersey retired in March this year. It is no surprise that Mashack said that Allen was one of the key guys he had always watched since he was little when he was introduced at the team's rookie press conference.