Memphis, Tennessee – Birmingham native and NBA rookie forward DeMarre Carroll and the Memphis Grizzlies will officially open training camp in Birmingham, Ala., Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today. The weeklong camp will take place at the Bill Battle Coliseum on the campus of Birmingham-Southern College from Sept. 29-Oct. 5.
“We are very grateful to Birmingham-Southern College for welcoming our team to the city of Birmingham,” Grizzlies Head Coach Lionel Hollins said. “Many NBA teams hold training camp away from their home cities, and Birmingham will give our team a chance to bond and focus on the upcoming season.”
Hollins’ first training camp as head coach marks just the third time since moving from Vancouver in 2001 that the team has hosted training camp outside of Memphis. The Grizzlies, who will begin their ninth season in Memphis, also held training camp in Malaga, Spain (2007) and Barcelona, Spain (2003) as part of the NBA Europe Live Tour.
The arrival in Birmingham also marks the hometown return of Carroll, one of the Grizzlies’ 2009 first round draft picks (27th overall), who won two state championships (2003, 2004) at John Carroll Catholic High School.
“It’s a blessing and a great feeling to go back home and train in my hometown of Birmingham,” Carroll said. “It’s where I grew up and where I first started playing basketball. This will be a great chance for our players to get to know each other and gel on the court.”
The club’s annual Media Day is Monday, Sept. 28 with interview and photo availability from 2-4 p.m. at the Don Poier Media Center in the FedExForum. Media should enter through the FedExForum media entrance ONLY on the Southeast corner of Fourth Street and Linden Avenue. If media members have any special requests for photography or interview needs on Media Day, please contact Dustin Krugel at (901) 205-1606 or via e-mail at dkrugel@grizzlies.com in advance of media day.
The Grizzlies will tip-off their eight-game preseason schedule on Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. (CT) at the Siegel Center in Richmond, V.A. against the Washington Wizards. Memphis hosts the Oklahoma City Thunder in the home preseason opener at FedExForum on the following night on Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 7 p.m.
(courtesy: Memphis Grizzlies Media Relations)
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