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At the Memphis Grizzlies' open practice on Oct. 4 at FedExForum, rookie Karim Lopez revealed that fellow first-year player Carson Cooper had been rehearsing his dance routine for an hour each day leading up to the event. Cooper kicked off the team's annual rookie dance-off, taking the floor as Michael Jackson's "Beat It" played over the arena speakers and delivering his best impersonation of the legendary performer.
Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo praised Cooper's effort, saying, "Carson got pretty deep into his bag there. That was cool to see."
The open practice allowed fans to get an up-close view of the 2026-27 Grizzlies roster, with players participating in shooting drills and competitions while engaging with the crowd.
Skills Challenge and 3-Point Competitions
In the first competition, Olivier-Maxence Prosper defeated Lopez to win the skills challenge. Kris Murray, Javon Small, Walter Clayton Jr., Cam Spencer, and Taylor Hendricks were among the other participants.
Two Grizzlies players then teamed up to make 20 3-pointers while racing against another duo at the opposite basket. Small and Clayton won the team 3-point shooting competition. Lopez, Cam Boozer, GG Jackson, Jaylen Wells, Cedric Coward, and Cam Spencer were among the other participants. In a separate matchup, GG Jackson and Jaylen Wells faced Cedric Coward and Cam Spencer, with Wells and Jackson winning comfortably.
The team also took part in a shooting challenge that required players to make shots from specific areas of the floor before finishing with a half-court shot. Newcomers Quinten Post and Jerami Grant won that event.
Lopez expressed his excitement, saying, "It was definitely great. I'm definitely looking forward to the first preseason game, and then the opening night."
Zach Edey Injury Update
Zach Edey participated in open practice activities as the Grizzlies continue to monitor his progress and usage throughout the preseason. The team has fully cleared Edey, and he remains on track in his recovery. However, his chances of playing in the preseason remain murky at best. He is not expected to play against the Atlanta Hawks on Oct. 5.
"He's still on the same path, like we've said," Iisalo said. "Looking good for the start of the regular season." If Edey does play in the preseason, that designation will be made later on.
What's Next
Memphis will head to Atlanta for its first preseason game. The Grizzlies will play four preseason games this season, with three in the next five days. Iisalo said the team mutually decided with another team not to schedule a fifth preseason game. Instead, Memphis will evaluate where it stands after the upcoming three games, use its practices to address what it sees, and then play one more preseason contest before the regular season.
Iisalo hopes to see many players on the court against the Hawks, but their minutes will be monitored carefully. "I don't expect any guy to really crack 20 minutes," he said. "We have so many guys we want to see on the court, and then gradually build it up."
Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at [email protected]. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Grizzlies' open practice brings competition, dancing and new-look roster.
Originally reported by yahoo.