Advertise on podcast: With the 2nd Pick, Steve Francis

The lockout is over and it's time to get back to Grizzlies' basketball! Mike Bibby makes his With the 2nd Pick, Steve Francis podcast debut! Big Country is out of shape and can barely move. Shareef puts the squad on his back. The Celtics press and press and press some more. Hapless Stu Jackson enters another NBA season having done exactly nothing to improve the team.

"Stu-brain" strikes again at the 1998 NBA Entry Draft. The Grizzlies get Mike Bibby, but miss on possibly-franchise-altering players Vince Carter and Paul Pierce.  Stu's narcissism (or crippling insecurity?) once again prevent him from trading Big Country for Steve Nash. No, that is not a typo.  But at least we know it's the last time the Grizzlies will ever draft a point guard with the 2nd overall pick in the NBA Draft. Right? Right, guys?

We are back!  B.C.'s Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions Adrian Dix joins the podcast to flex his basketball muscles. He's still mad Stu didn't draft Lamar Odom in '99.  Jeremy and Justin hand out the hardware for another tough season in Grizzland.  The awards include The Dave Pratt Award for Worst Take, The Big Country Award for MVP and The Stu Jackson Award for Biggest Disappoinment.

The Last Dance through the eyes of the Grizzlies. An exhausted Vancouver squad plays hard despite living through an ungodly stretch of seven games in 10 nights (Spoiler alert! They lost all seven). MJ barely breaks a sweat en route to 24. The Big Special Boy goes off once again with 30. AD buried on the bench. Doug West cranks 17 Heinekens. The poisonous fruits of Stu's toxic incompetence are laid bare.

We chop it up after a big Canadian W. SGA stays loose and has a day. Forget Wemby, we got Nemby. Canadian perimeter defenders giving Spanish guards panic attacks and a bad case of the turnovers. Canada can't clear the defensive glass, but this time, it doesn't matter.

Another frantic breakdown of a big Canadian W. SGA gets into foul trouble early. No worries, RJ Barrett is a stud. Josh Giddey looks like Larry Bird, then he doesn't. Lu Dort manhandling dudes out there. Canada lays the defensive smack down in the 4th.

Jeremy breaks down Canada's clutch opening game win against Greece with an epic monologue. SGA and RJ cook. The new bench mob flounders. Giannis keeps the Greeks afloat. Near catastrophe, but Shai pulls it out from the flames.

Nav Bhatia and his co-author Tamara Baluja join us to discuss their new book 'The Heart of a Superfan: A Memoir of Grit, Love, Family and Basketball'. Nav was a pleasure, aside from the opening moments when he immediately scorched Vancouver Grizzlies fans. That one hurt, Superfan Nav!

Our Beautiful Baby Boy has a night. Seriously, the Big Guy cooks to the point that Tommy Heinsohn wonders if he's going to anchor a championship team. The Celtics press, then press, then press some more. It totally doesn't work, but then Reef and AD start chucking the ball around. Grizz set an all-time record for post entries in one game (probably not, but maybe!) Blue doing Blue things. A solemn moment as Justin and Jeremy bid adieu to the Doug Edwards era.

Shareef Abdur-Rahim puts one on creepy Karl Malone and carries the squad through an epic 4th quarter. John Stockton reminds us why he's a GOATed PG. Not even lying, the Big Special Boy plays all of the first 36 minutes! Sam Mack treats us to an offensive outburst. Antonio Daniels continues to delight and dismay. Stu still doing Stu things (bad).

Reef, the Big Boi and even Stu take a quick rest as we detour into the world of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). The Vancouver Bandits are set to tip off their season. We talk to coach and GM Kyle Julius his return to the Bandits' bench, the team's biggest stars, the Elam Ending, Championship Weekend in Langley and Blue Edwards' kid playing in the CEBL! Also! We're giving away tickets to the Bandits' home opener.

The Grizz storm the Palace at Auburn Hills. Antonio Daniels looks atrocious but recovers for a memorable moment. Otis Thorpe and the bench mob dominate. We've reached the peak of Mayberry Mountain! The Brian Williams/Bison Dele story is...disquieting. The big special boy puts in some good work. Lindsey Hunter gets his hand stuck in a folding chair. Grant Hill chokes. Jeremy seethes when Justin attempts to do a positive 'What Did Stu Do Now?'. But they're still friends.

Shareef looks like a dang all-star and then doesn't. Please enjoy the Otis Thorpe Experience™ (for a limited time only!). In a related matter, Stu makes (another) one of his all-time, pit-of-despair blunders. Dennis Scott and Michael Finley have the Grizzlies seeing stars and some guy says the Mavs are going 97-0. BONUS: Jeremy meets and gambles with Gary Payton, while Justin obtains a piece of holy grail Grizzlies memorabilia. Something for everyone, really.

Tim Duncan would've changed everything, but the Grizz couldn't have him. Thanks, Stern. The draft was weak and, sure, the Antonio Daniels pick was fine. Ho hum.  But! Much more interestingly!! History-altering fate once again knocks at Stu Jackson's door. Will he answer?

George Lynch played 123 games for the Grizzlies between 1996 and 1998. In that time, he logged 8 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal in 21 minutes per game. Lynch on the relentless losing in Vancouver: "It was tough. My entire little league, college, high school...until I got to the NBA...I probably hadn't lost more than 60 games in the entirety. Then you get here and you lose 60 games in one season. That's a lot of losing."