Iverson reportedly received an incentive-laden deal with a base salary of about $3.5 million. He immediately becomes the biggest name ever stretched across the back of a Grizzlies jersey. The franchise has only one All-Star in its history — Pau Gasol in 2006.

The 6-foot free agent has been rookie of the year, the 2001 league MVP and a four-time scoring champ with a career average of 27.1. Philadelphia made him the top pick in the 1996 NBA draft, and he spent the bulk of his career with the 76ers before being traded to Denver in 2006 and then to Detroit last November.

Whether Iverson's presence translates into more wins for the Grizzlies is unknown, but the excitement at Thursday's introduction could be an indication his impact could have the box office. The team store already had jerseys with Iverson's No. 3 hanging on the wall ready for sale.

Iverson ranks second among active players in career scoring behind Shaquille O'Neal and is 16th all-time with 23,983 points in 886 games with Philadelphia, Denver and Detroit.

Iverson will open the season against his most recent team. The Pistons visit Memphis on Oct. 28.

The Grizzlies' courting of Iverson lasted much of the summer. Other teams including New York, Charlotte, Miami and the Clippers inquired about Iverson, but Memphis appeared to be the only one to make a solid offer to the veteran guard.

Questions still remain about where Iverson fits in the Grizzlies' plans.

O.J. Mayo, who finished second to Chicago's Derrick Rose in Rookie of the Year voting last season, starts at shooting guard. Memphis seems committed to Mike Conley at the point. There's little doubt Iverson's scoring talents should help a team which averaged only 93.9 points a game last season, next to last in the league.

Grizzlies officials spent the summer talking of their need for scoring help off the bench.

But Iverson said in April he would rather retire than come off the bench. He missed 16 games last season with a bad back. When he returned, he was coming off the bench, an arrangement Iverson did not like. He complained about minutes and how he couldn't be effective in that role.