Michael Dickerson - Vancouver and Memphis Grizzlies History

Michael Dickerson played college basketball at the University of Arizona under head coach Lute Olson. He was part of the Wildcats' 1997 NCAA championship team, which defeated Kentucky in the national championship game.

Arizona's roster featured several players who would eventually reach the NBA, including Mike Bibby, Jason Terry and Miles Simon. Dickerson developed a reputation as an athletic perimeter scorer with an effective jump shot, making him an attractive prospect for NBA teams.

The Houston Rockets selected Dickerson with the 14th overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft. The lockout-shortened 1998-99 season provided him with an immediate opportunity to contribute to a veteran Houston team featuring Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley and Scottie Pippen.

Dickerson started all 50 games during his rookie season and averaged 10.9 points while shooting 43.3 percent from three-point range. His performance earned him a place on the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

Houston reached the 1999 NBA Playoffs but was eliminated by the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round. Dickerson appeared in four postseason games, the only playoff appearances of his NBA career.

In August 1999, Dickerson was traded to the Vancouver Grizzlies as part of the deal involving Steve Francis. Francis had been selected second overall in the 1999 NBA Draft but did not want to play in Vancouver, leading the Grizzlies to negotiate a trade with Houston.

Dickerson became one of the most important players Vancouver received in the transaction. During the 1999-2000 season, he started all 82 games and averaged a career-high 18.2 points, along with 3.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.

He also shot 40.9 percent from three-point range, giving the Grizzlies an effective outside threat at a time when the young franchise struggled to establish a consistent offense.

Although Vancouver finished the season with a 22-60 record, Dickerson's individual performance was one of the team's brighter spots. He was a dependable scorer who could contribute from the perimeter and attack the basket.

During the 2000-01 season, Dickerson appeared in 70 games and averaged 16.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists. He remained an important part of the roster alongside players such as Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Mike Bibby.

The 2000-01 campaign proved to be the Grizzlies' final season in Vancouver. After six seasons in British Columbia, the franchise relocated to Memphis, Tennessee, beginning with the 2001-02 season.

When the Grizzlies moved to Memphis in 2001, Dickerson was expected to remain an important part of the team's offense. However, persistent injuries prevented him from making the same contribution he had made during his two seasons in Vancouver.

Dickerson appeared in only four games during the Grizzlies' inaugural Memphis season in 2001-02, averaging 10.8 points per game. He missed most of the season because of injuries.

He attempted to return during the 2002-03 campaign but played in just six games, averaging 4.8 points in 14.5 minutes per contest.

His final NBA appearance came during the 2002-03 season. Dickerson's career ended after just 212 regular-season games, despite the promise he had shown as a starter with Houston and Vancouver.

His short time on the court in Memphis makes his Vancouver accomplishments especially important when reviewing his place in Grizzlies franchise history.

The following table includes every season of Dickerson's NBA career, from his rookie season with Houston in 1998-99 through his final season with Memphis in 2002-03.

GP = games played; GS = games started; MPG = minutes per game; FG% = field goal percentage; 3P% = three-point percentage; FT% = free throw percentage; ORPG = offensive rebounds; DRPG = defensive rebounds; RPG = total rebounds; APG = assists; SPG = steals; BPG = blocks; TOPG = turnovers; PF = personal fouls; PPG = points.

Dickerson appeared in four NBA playoff games during the 1999 postseason with Houston. The Rockets were eliminated by the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round.

Michael Dickerson's career was shortened by a series of injuries that prevented him from maintaining the form he demonstrated during his first three NBA seasons.

Between 1998 and 2001, he appeared in 202 regular-season games and developed into a dependable scorer. He averaged more than 16 points per game in both of his full seasons with Vancouver and appeared capable of remaining an important NBA contributor.

However, injuries limited Dickerson to only four games in 2001-02 and six games in 2002-03. Those absences came during the Grizzlies' transition to Memphis, when the franchise was building a new identity and assembling a younger roster.

Dickerson did not return to regular NBA action after the 2002-03 season. His final career averages of 15.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists reflect his offensive talent despite the abrupt ending to his professional career.

Michael Dickerson is an important figure in the early history of the Vancouver and Memphis Grizzlies. He joined the franchise through one of its most significant trades and quickly became one of Vancouver's leading scorers.

His 18.2 points per game during the 1999-2000 season represented one of the strongest individual scoring campaigns by a Vancouver Grizzlies guard. His outside shooting provided the team with a reliable perimeter threat, and his offensive production helped balance a roster that featured several talented young players.

Dickerson also holds a distinctive place in franchise history because he played for both the Vancouver and Memphis versions of the Grizzlies. Although injuries prevented him from contributing significantly after the move, he remains associated with the franchise's transition between cities.

For fans who followed the Grizzlies during their Vancouver years, Dickerson is remembered as a talented shooter whose NBA career ended much earlier than expected.

What NBA teams did Michael Dickerson play for?

Michael Dickerson played for the Houston Rockets, Vancouver Grizzlies and Memphis Grizzlies from 1998 through 2003.

When did Michael Dickerson play for the Vancouver Grizzlies?

Dickerson played for Vancouver during the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 seasons.

What was Michael Dickerson's best NBA season?

His highest-scoring season was 1999-2000, when he averaged 18.2 points per game while starting all 82 games for the Vancouver Grizzlies.

What happened to Michael Dickerson's NBA career?

Injuries limited Dickerson to just 10 games over the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons. He did not play another NBA regular-season game after 2003.

Was Michael Dickerson part of the Steve Francis trade?

Yes. Dickerson was one of the players acquired by Vancouver in the 1999 trade that sent Steve Francis to the Houston Rockets.

Did Michael Dickerson win an NCAA championship?

Yes. He was a member of the University of Arizona's 1997 NCAA championship team under head coach Lute Olson.

How many NBA games did Michael Dickerson play?

He played 212 regular-season games and four playoff games during his NBA career.

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