Zach Randolph, Model Teammate And Leader. Who Would Have Thought?

Let’s play fill in the blank. Here’s the story in question.

↵↵The [NBA Team] received an early Christmas gift in mid-July when [NBA Player] officially joined the franchise.

↵Unwrapped, he has simply been the gift that keeps on giving. And no one put out more Sunday afternoon in [NBA Team’s Home Arena] than [NBA Player].

↵Where would the [NBA Team] be without the nine-year veteran?

↵↵NBA Team? The Memphis Grizzlies. NBA Player? Zach Randolph. You heard me. Zach Randolph.

↵It’s not a joke either. The Grizzlies just beat the Nuggets behind Randolph’s 32 points and 24 rebounds. They’re 6-3 this month, including wins over the Cavaliers, Mavericks and Nuggets. All of this with Zach Randolph -- Zach Randolph -- as the veteran leader of a talented kiddie core that includes Mike Conley, Rudy Gay, O.J. Mayo, Marc Gasol and Hasheem Thabeet.

↵Here’s what Conley said about Randolph (emphasis added):

↵↵“I knew he’d be good. I had no idea it would be like this,” Griz point guard Mike Conley said. “Shockingly, people here were down on him. But he’s 100 percent different than what people thought.”

↵↵Are we in an alternate universe, or are the Grizzlies just proving everyone that bashed the offseason Randolph trade (myself included) wrong? I guess it could be the alternate universe. It did just snow two feet in Washington D.C. after all.