The Memphis Grizzlies and Ja Morant reached new heights in 2022, the team tying a franchise record with 56 wins as the player started his first All-Star Game and earned second-team All-NBA accolades. Better yet, the Griz became the youngest team in NBA history to win as many as 55 games, good enough to earn the franchise its first Southwest Division championship. It turns out that leading the NBA in rebounding, steals, and blocks is a good thing, as Memphis finished the 2021-22 campaign with the second-best mark in the entire league, this despite Morant missing 25 games with various ailments. The Grizzlies turned aside Minnesota in the first round of the playoffs before fizzling out against the title-bound Golden State Warriors. It was the kind of season that leaves a fan base wanting even more. Lots more.
The Tigers — both basketball and football — had “yes but” seasons in 2022. Penny Hardaway’s hoop squad reached the NCAA tournament for the first time in eight years, but wasn’t able to reach the big dance’s second weekend (extending a drought that dates back to 2009). Highlights of the season on the hardwood included a pair of wins over top-10 foes (Alabama and Houston). On the gridiron, the Tigers reached bowl eligibility for the ninth straight season, but finished merely 6-6 (a second straight year). Coach Ryan Silverfield will be back for a fourth season, but expectations — both within the program and outside — are high and heavy for 2023.
The Memphis Redbirds fell short of the playoffs in their first season in the International League, but a pair of players achieved some history for the franchise. Outfielder Moisés Gómez slammed 16 home runs for Memphis after being promoted from Double-A Springfield (where he had hit 23) to establish a new minor-league record for the St. Louis Cardinals with 39 bombs for the season. And Alec Burleson — another rising outfielder — hit .331 to win the International League batting title, the first such crown in Redbirds history.
Memphis 901 FC catapulted the organization to new heights, thanks to stellar player recruitment from the front office, coach Ben Pirmann’s tactical tweaking and man-management, and team-of-the-season performances from multiple players. There were plenty of things to be happy about. Memphis finished the year with a 22-8-6 record, racking up the franchise’s highest season totals for wins, points, and goals scored. 2022 saw a first ever playoff win for the organization, a 3-1 victory over Detroit City FC, before the team just missed out on the conference finals with a tight loss to the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Along the way, striker Phillip Goodrum tallied 21 goals, midfielder Aaron Molloy chipped in with 8 goals and 10 assists, and defender Graham Smith marshaled the team to 11 clean sheets. Once the dust fell, 901 FC quickly announced contract extensions for all three players, each of whom were named in either the first or second USL All-League teams. And plenty of other key players had their contracts extended, including captain Leston Paul. The only sour note is that Pirmann announced his exit from the club, accepting the head coaching role with Charleston Battery FC. But looking back, this squad made Memphis and its AutoZone Park matchday fans proud. After a couple years, 901 FC showed that it belongs in the USL.
Meanwhile, sports infrastructure got a big boost when Mayor Jim Strickland announced an ambitious $684 million proposal to renovate the FedExForum, Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, and AutoZone Park. Plus, the plan called for a new soccer-first Memphis 901 FC stadium (with options to host other programming and events). The city is asking the state of Tennessee to cover $350 million after seeing Nashville’s plans for a new $2 billion stadium for the Tennessee Titans, with state assistance. But nothing’s set in stone.
Youth sports have a shiny new home in the Memphis Sports & Event Center (MSEC) at Liberty Park. At 227,000 square feet, the $60 million complex’s enormous footprint can accommodate young athletes for anything indoor sports related, from basketball to futsal to volleyball and so many others. While final construction won’t be complete until early next year, Liberty Park began showing off the new facilities in December, and it’s enough to get any sports fan excited.
