Memphis Grizzlies players Olivier-Maxence Prosper and Taylor Hendricks joined a Grizz Take Action Day of Service on September 23, packaging hygiene kits and serving meals in downtown Memphis. The community event marks a shift in focus toward the upcoming NBA season, as the young team aims to move past a difficult end to the previous campaign where they lost four of their final five games.
Prosper and Hendricks worked alongside team employees at Morris Park, assembling 1,500 hygiene kits and serving 400 meals for people experiencing homelessness. Several local resource tents from public health and medical groups were also present. For the players, this work is a core part of their identity. Hendricks credited his mother and his faith, saying community building through giving back is something he’ll always do.
Prosper traced his passion to age 12 or 13 in Montreal, where he donated old shoes and basketball gear. “Just doing that as a young kid, it meant the world to me,” Prosper said. “To be able to do that and keep doing that here in a community that I’ve grown to know a lot, it means the world.” Hendricks added that the local support fuels his on-court drive, wanting to win for the fans.
The service day precedes key preseason milestones. Media day is set for September 28, followed by training camp at Belmont University in Nashville from September 29 through October 2. This official gathering is vital for a roster projected to be among the NBA’s youngest. Many players have already begun informal workouts together.
Hendricks emphasized the positive locker room environment. “We have a group of great guys with great values. Even off the court, it’s great vibes and good influences,” he said. Building that cohesion is essential for a team seeking a fresh start.
The Grizzlies enter this new phase looking to improve upon a tough finish to the 2025-26 season.
Turning those kinds of defensive struggles around will be a primary focus when camp opens.
With training camp in Nashville, the Grizzlies will have their first full-team practices. The work done in the community and in early player-run sessions sets a foundation. The focus now shifts to translating off-court unity into on-court execution. The preseason schedule will provide the first real tests for this group’s development and chemistry.
For Prosper, Hendricks, and their teammates, the chance to compete again can’t come soon enough. The fall weather in Memphis isn’t the only signal of change. A renewed sense of purpose, forged through community service and shared goals, is in the air as the Grizzlies prepare to write a new chapter.
