In August of 2008, a lot was different in the world: George W. Bush’s presidency was coming to a close, Michael Jackson was still alive, Michael Scott was still on “The Office” and the world’s most beloved gorilla, Harambe, had yet to be maliciously put down due to the arrogance and foolishness of mankind. The Memphis Grizzlies were a young team in the midst of a rebuild and Josh Smith was one of the most coveted free agents on the market.
In 2008, the Memphis Grizzlies consisted of a core of Mike Conley, O.J. Mayo, Rudy Gay and Marc Gasol.