The fans in Memphis made it clear on Friday night how they feel about Zach Randolph.
Zach Randolph, one of the forefathers of the “Grit and Grind” era, returned on Friday to face his former team in Memphis for the first time. Randolph, a fan favorite during his time with the Memphis Grizzlies, signed with the Sacramento Kings over the summer.
Randolph was a two-time All-Star while with the franchise, and he formed a fearsome tandem with Marc Gasol that nobody in the league looked forward to facing.
Randolph helped the Grizzlies get back to the playoffs, and they ended up going there seven years in a row. The team played a tribute video for the big man, and the fans showed their appreciation for the man they called “Z-Bo”.
We love you, @MacBo50! pic.twitter.com/nTcTmo4vtA
— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) January 20, 2018
Randolph has put up 14.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game this season for the Kings, but they are unfortunately in last place in the West. So this must have been an ideal moment for Randolph to relive some of his glory years.
The highlight of his time there was probably reaching the Western Conference Finals in 2013. The team said over the summer that he’ll be the first player in franchise history to get his jersey retired, and that’s quite an honor. Gasol will likely join him in the rafters one day as well, which will be a fitting sight to see.
Randolph faced some trouble with the law this offseason, but the league didn’t end up issuing any major penalty.
Next: Best NBA Teams To Never Win NBA Finals
Cheers to Z-Bo for staying in the NBA for as long as he has, and here’s hoping he gets to finish things off in the city that embraced him so much they cheer when he comes back to town.