Nashville has become a mecca for NBA training camps.
Several teams came to the The city of music in the past for their preseason camps, but for the first time, two will be held in the same year. The New Orleans Pelicans will be at Belmont’s Crockett Center from October 1-6 and the Memphis Grizzlies will be in Ensworth from October 1st to 3rd.
So Nashville residents shouldn’t be surprised if they spot the Pelicans stars Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram Or Herb Jones out and about during this time or the Grizzlies Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Zach Edey Or Jaren Jackson Jr.. Former Vanderbilt star Scotty Pippen Jr. is also on the Memphis roster.
It’s just a coincidence that both teams’ practice facilities will be under construction at the same time and that both teams have decided to relocate to Nashville. The final stage of renovations will be underway at the Pelicans’ Ochsner Sports Performance Center, while upgrades to the rigging grid and sound system inside the bowl will limit the space available at the Grizzlies’ FedExForum.
Neither training camp is open to fans.
“More and more NBA teams are holding training camps away and I think with all the buzz around Nashville, it’s a city that’s getting their attention,” Belmont’s athletic director said. Scott Corley “For us, I think they’ve heard how nice our facility is. It’s pretty easy to get in and out of and stuff like that. I wouldn’t say we’re soliciting everybody, but we’ll definitely have conversations with anybody who wants to talk about it.”
That’s because, Corley said, a positive light is shed on Belmont when an NBA team comes to campus.
“It’s a huge exposure,” Corley said. “It helps us with our relationship with the NBA and it’s great for our student-athletes, especially our basketball players, to know that we have a facility that’s capable enough for the NBA.”
The Pelicans were actually the first NBA team to use the Crockett Center when they arrived in May 2021, the same year the facility opened, following Hurricane Ida, which ravaged the Louisiana coastline.
Last year the Chicago Bulls were at the Crockett Center for preseason camp and before that the Cleveland Cavaliers were there.
The Pelicans will open the preseason the day after they leave Belmont, on Oct. 7 at home against the Orlando Magic.
The Grizzlies first practiced at Ensworth in 2013.
The Grizzlies won’t spend their entire camp in Nashville. They’ll return to Memphis on Oct. 4 to prepare for their first preseason game Oct. 7 in Dallas. Memphis’ first home preseason game will be Oct. 10 against the Charlotte Hornets.
Former Sports Radio Host Mickey Ryan Hired at Lipscomb
Former sports radio host Mickey Ryan is Lipscomb’s new executive director for athletic advancement and director of the National Bison Club.
Ryan spent 10 years at The Zone 104.5-FM, most of them as co-host of a midday sports show with former Tennessee Titans defensive back Blaine BishopRyan left the station in May.
Prior to joining The Zone, Ryan was the assistant athletic director for external relations at Arkansas State, his alma mater.
“I am beyond excited to join the Lipscomb University team,” Ryan said in a school news release. “This is a special place with special people, and I feel so fortunate to be here. I could feel the positive energy here the moment I stepped foot on campus.”
Lipscomb Athletic Director Philippe Hutcheson said Ryan was an “ideal candidate.”
“Mickey’s shared values with Lipscomb’s mission, his network throughout the Middle Tennessee and athletic communities, his ability to easily connect with others and his appreciation for the benefits of an athletics program that excels at the highest levels of DI competition with a higher calling at its heart make him a perfect fit for Lipscomb University and Lipscomb Athletics,” Hutcheson said.
Tickets available for the Simmons Bank Open September 12-15
Tickets are still available for the 2024 Simmons Bank Open golf tournament for the Snedeker Foundation on the PGA Tour Korn Gerrywhich will take place September 12-15 at the Vanderbilt Legends Club. The tournament has been held the last two years at The Grove.
For the first time, the tournament will serve as the finals of the Korn Ferry Tour. This means that 30 players from the tournament will receive 2025 PGA Tour cards at the end of the season.
Golfers with local ties to the area include:
∎ Matthew Riedel (former Vanderbilt golfer)
∎ Davis Coast (former Brentwood resident and Alabama golfer)
∎ Rick Lamb (former University of Tennessee golfer)
∎ Marcus Byrd (former MTSU golfer)
∎ William Moll (former Vanderbilt golfer)
Admission is free for children under 17 with the purchase of an adult ticket. Tickets are on sale at simmonsbankopen.com/tickets.
If you have a story for Midstate Chatter, contact Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or X @MIkeOrganWriter.
This article was originally published on Nashville Tennessean: New Orleans Pelicans and Memphis Grizzlies training camps in Nashville
