Undoubtedly the most challenging season of his career ended with more than a pat on the back for Grizzlies head athletic trainer Drew Graham.
The National Basketball Athletic Trainers Association (NBATA) named Graham as its 2015-16 Joe O’Toole Athletic Trainer of the Year. The honor comes after a season in which the Griz endured an unfathomable string of injuries and used an NBA-record 28 players while earning a sixth straight playoff berth.
Marc Gasol was lost with a broken navicular bone in his foot, Mike Conley didn’t play after March 6 because of left Achilles tendinitis and his backup Mario Chalmers suffered a ruptured Achilles. Forward Brandan Wright was lost for most of the season with knee injuries and second-year guard Jordan Adams never saw the floor because of unspecified knee soreness.
“When there is an award given from your peers who know what your day and season consists of, there really isn’t anything more special,” Graham said in a statement. “I want to thank the NBATA, the Memphis Grizzlies and the entire medical staff I work with every day. Without their help, I wouldn’t have received this award.”
The award recipient is recognized for exemplary achievement or outstanding service to the NBA, NBATA and his community. It is named after Joe O’Toole, a long time former head athletic trainer of the Atlanta Hawks, long regarded as the father of the NBATA.
Graham recently concluded his 10th season as the Grizzlies’ head athletic trainer. He’s also Vice President of Player Care, a promotion he received in 2013.
Graham joined the Griz in 2006 after working the previous six seasons (2000-06) as an assistant athletic trainer/strength and conditioning coach with the New Jersey Nets.