When I was a kid, as a die-hard Grizzlies fan I would always collect the Media Guide at the beginning of each season. The covers were always my favorite part - like the one was from 2003, with a street-art/stencil-style visual of Pau Gasol on a rainbow backdrop glued to a brick wall on the cover. They told the story of the season in a single visual - not just the personnel, but the personality of the team. I was obsessed with seeing the different designs and players highlighted each year, and I still have them all organized chronologically in my closet to this day. I take them out every once in a while to see how the team and aesthetic have changed over the years, just by flipping through the covers. You get a picture of the complete history of the Grizzlies franchise, just by looking at a series of images.
I wanted to create my own version of that childhood obsession, and draw a poster that would serve the same purpose: as an encapsulation of this season in a single visual, one that personified the identity and energy of this year’s squad - a reminder of this run and everyone who helped accomplish it.
For the artwork, I individually drew 32 Grizzlies by hand, and then collaged them together around the focal point of a “Big Memphis” / Grizz City Edition-inspired reinterpretation of our Claw mark, with elements from our uniform and aesthetic incorporated throughout - along with gritty texture, detailing, and overlays evoking the hip-hop art and sound that influenced our jerseys and 2023 season campaign.
I also created breakout posters of each drawing used in the full collage. See below for the full visuals:
I also created a Ja-only version, with accompanying logo:
