"Retired center Dikembe Mutombo sat courtside Wednesday night, putting a cap on a day mostly geared toward meshing with Grizzlies rookie Hasheem Thabeet.

"He's very interested in Hasheem," Griz general manager Chris Wallace said. "He wanted to come in and get together with Hasheem."

Mutombo has served as a global ambassador for the NBA since he retired from the Houston Rockets in 2009. It is not uncommon for the former Defensive Player of the Year to visit different NBA cities throughout the season.

It is believed, too, that the Griz might talk to Mutombo about working as a paid consultant in the offseason. Mutombo will spend a lot of time coaching Thabeet in the summer if the Griz have their way.

Thabeet had dinner with Mutombo Tuesday night and the two shared their first extended conversation."