MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Between sections 103 and 104—right behind the Grizzlies bench. That is where you will find longtime Grizzlies guest relations host LaVelt Hill.
He has had the best seat in the house since the team's first game at The Pyramid in 2001 .
"He's a fixture, just like one of those chairs behind the bench," said Adrian Shavers, a Grizzlies season-ticket holder. Over the years, Shavers has developed a close friendship with Hill, as have countless fans that are regulars at his sections.
That's just the kind of guy LaVelt is—he is always friendly. People feel at home around him. After all, FedEx Forum is his second home.
"Seeing the guys I always dreamed I'd be able to see one day, and getting paid to do it," Hill said. "It was a dream job. Still is."
"He didn't come in there complaining or looking down or feeling bad about himself," Shavers said. "You just never would have known."
You wouldn't know that LaVelt battles renal failure. That for almost two years, he has gone to dialysis three times per week for four hours at a time.
You wouldn't know the pain he's endured. He lost his mother last September. His daughter, Brittney, passed away in a car accident in February of 2021.
"It's been difficult," Hill said through tears. He holds up his mother's and daughter's funeral cards. "Just knowing they're looking down on me has given me the strength to go forward. I miss both of them dearly."
Too exhausted from dialysis, LaVelt had to give up working his longtime post.
"That's when I decided to reach out," Shavers said. "Because he was missing in action."
Learning of his friend's struggles, Adrian jumped into action. He started a GoFundMe page in LaVelt's honor, and the donations came flooding in. Not just from fans, but from players, their families, Grizzlies of old and even team owner Robert Pera. To date donations have totaled almost $70,000.
"It was overwhelming," Hill said. "I knew I had made a lot of friendships and bonds over the years, but that let me know that those friendships and bonds actually meant a lot to everybody. It definitely meant a lot to me and I'll be forever grateful for each and every one of them."
With funding in place, and his sister Cassandra a donor match, the transplant was scheduled for December. Until there were complications.
"I was actually in dialysis, hooked up to the machine when I got the phone call from my coordinator saying that the scheduled procedure was going to need to be postponed," Hill recalled. "It was just too much for me to handle. Within about 10-15 minutes I had to get unhooked from the machine and just go home because it took such a toll on me."
A crushing blow in a few years full of them. But LaVelt had set a goal to return to FedEx Forum this season.
"That's what kind of inspired me together and to get back. I didn't want to miss the whole Grizzlies season, one of the most exciting seasons in the history of the Memphis Grizzlies."
So after more than a year away, he was back in uniform for the Grizzlies regular season finale against the Celtics. He didn't tell anyone he was coming back, not even Adrian.
"I just walked in and I'm like. 'LaVelt?' I ran over and hugged him and I was like 'What?' And then I went off on him. He was like 'Man you know I had to keep it low.' I was just glad to see him."
His supervisor was also shocked to see him at their pregame meeting. Shock quickly faded. Joy washed over knowing LaVelt was back. After a standing ovation, the dozens of guest relations hosts huddled up as if they were the ones about to tip off. LaVelt delivered the pregame speech:
"This is the A-Team. Always has been. Always will be, Let's go down and do what we always do. Memphis on three. One-Two-Three. MEMPHIS!"
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As game time neared, LaVelt had a receiving line of well-wishers that would rival any wedding day. There were smiles, selfies, and hugs. So many hugs.
After a day of reunions and embraces, LaVelt finally got the news he's been waiting for.
"If everything goes according to plan, we've got rescheduled for surgery, May the 17."
At his next pregame meeting, he got to tell his fellow guest relations hosts the news. The reaction was as if they just watched Ja Morant put Karl-Anthony Towns on a poster—only there were a lot more hugs.
"FedEx Forum is home. Other than here," Hill said from his living room. "That's my second home, and my second family."
A family that couldn't be happier to have him back home.
You can donate to LaVelt's GoFundMe by clicking here.