The Memphis Grizzlies and Toronto Raptors are linked at the hip, both in the cosmic and current senses. Both teams were originally birthed from the NBA’s expansion into Canada in 1995; the “Grizzly” a staple of British Columbia’s vast forests. Unfortunately, the team quickly went extinct in Vancouver, keeping its moniker in a move to Memphis.
Years later, the teams’ fates crossed again. Memphis added touted Raptors assistant Jerry Stackhouse to its coaching staff (though he recently left to become Vanderbilt University‘s head coach). Former Raptors Draft enigma Bruno Caboclo became a Grizzlies regular.