Z-Bo reflects on ‘God’s plan’ that landed him in Memphis

At first, Zach Randolph was infuriated to learn that he would be traded again in 2009. Still, ultimately, he found out that it was simply a blessing in disguise that immortalized him in the Memphis Grizzlies record books.

In his recent appearance in K.G. Certified, Randolph opened up about his arrival in the Grizzlies, which he believes is a "God's plan" that made him one of the franchise's most beloved and iconic players.

"Getting traded, I was frustrated. I just got to L.A., I was in New York for a season, and I was like, 'What the hell is going on?'" Z-Bo said.

"You know what? I approached it right, and it was God's plan how I fitted [in Memphis]. It's like a puzzle piece, like just a boom from the people in the city, from the organization. They showed me love, and they can relate to me."

I found a home in Memphis

Randolph became a rising league star in the mid-2000s, winning the Most Improved Player award in 2003-04. Yet despite his talent, he couldn't identify where he should be, playing with three different teams from 2006 to 2009.

As frustrating as it might be, his eventual trade that brought him to Memphis before the 2009-10 season finally allowed Z-Bo to have a brand-new home of his own that he's been searching for so long.

Zach's entry to the Grizzlies was groundbreaking for the entire organization. Together with Marc Gasol, Mike Conley, and Tony Allen, they established the 'Grit-’n’-Grind' culture that broadly defined the team's mantra and the city's identity. As a core member, Z-Bo helped Memphis achieve basketball relevance in the 2010s, making it to the NBA playoffs in seven straight seasons, which mainly features their historic postseason 2011 run as an eighth seed and first-ever trip to the Conference Finals in history back in 2013.

Best moment of my career

Things turned out unexpectedly, and Z-Bo was simply thankful and fulfilled that destiny allowed him to become a Grizzly. From grinding with his folks and experiencing the overwhelming love of their fanbase on a nightly basis, the 43-year-old couldn't ask for the best time of his career being in Memphis.

"I came in with Marc [Gasol] and Mike Conley; these guys are coming into their own. Blue-collar folks. These folks are blue-collar, and I'm a blue-collar player. That she– was God [given], so I was thankful just coming in. The love I got from them. Not only that, we are winning. Going to the playoffs, we improved 10 to 15 games the first year I got there. It was God who worked it all out," Randolph added.

"That was the best moment of my career, during that time in Memphis."

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