Nick Nurse Praises Grizzlies Legend Before Sixers Victory

Nick Nurse shared kind words for Memphis Grizzlies legend, Marc Gasol, before the Philadelphia 76ers' Saturday night win.

Justin Grasso | Apr 7, 2024

Former Grizzlies players Zach Randolph, Tony Allen, Marc Gasol and Mike Conley, known as the “Core / Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA

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On Saturday night, the Memphis Grizzlies hosted the Philadelphia 76ers for the first time this season. In addition to the regular-season matchup, the Grizzlies held a jersey-retiring ceremony for Marc Gasol, a legendary figure in the organization.

The Barcelona-born center has carved out quite a career for himself throughout the years. After getting drafted in the second round of the 2007 NBA Draft, Gasol found himself starting his career in Memphis.

After joining the team for the 2008-2009 season, Gasol fired up what turned out to be a long and successful tenure with the Grizzlies.

For 11 seasons, Gasol appeared in over 750 games. He averaged 15 points, eight rebounds, three assists, one steal, and two blocks throughout his tenure.

The run he put together in Memphis allowed Gasol to be recognized as a Grizzlies legend, which led him to getting his jersey retired on Saturday night.

Gasol’s run with the Grizzlies concluded in 2019. As Memphis looked to make moves at the trade deadline, the veteran center was moved to the Toronto Raptors, where current Sixers head coach Nick Nurse was running the show.

Gasol’s time in Toronto was short but successful. During the 2018-2019 regular season, he appeared in 26 games. In the playoffs, he started in all 24 games, averaging nine points, six rebounds, three assists, and one block. The Raptors went on to win the 2019 NBA Finals that year.

Before Saturday’s game between the Sixers and the Grizzlies, Nick Nurse acknowledged the impact Gasol had on his run in Toronto.

Aug 12, 2020; Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA; Toronto Raptors' Marc Gasol, left, works the floor / Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports

“He was a huge part of our championship team in Toronto,” Nurse told reporters, according to Lauren Rosen. “He’s just such a good player, man. Such a good smart, tough, player, and a great pro. I have nothing but great memories about Marc.”

Gasol played one more season with Nurse and the Raptors before making a move to the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2020-2021 season. His 52 games in LA ended up being his last before he called it a career.

With the NBA in the rearview for the Grizzlies’ legend, Gasol is now focused on a front office position for the Liga ACB team, Bàsquet Girona.

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JUSTIN GRASSO

Title: Credentialed writer/reporter covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation Email: JustinGrasso32@Gmail.com Location: Philadelphia, PA Expertise: Reporting, insight, and analysis on the Sixers and the NBA Justin Grasso is a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writer’s Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoNBA

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