Zach Randolph on Kenneth Lofton Jr. comparisons, NLess Entertainment record label

Zach Randolph was gushing when he heard the name Kenneth Lofton Jr.

Standing in a room celebrating his independent record label, NLess Entertainment, the Memphis Grizzlies great was excited to talk about who he described as “Port Arthur’s finest.”

“Ooooh!” Randolph told The Commercial Appeal after hearing Lofton’s name. “That boy a beast.”

The moment Lofton, an undrafted free agent from Louisiana Tech, signed with the Grizzlies after the 2022 NBA Draft, comparisons of his playing style with Randolph became a popular topic. Both are left-handed players who have soft touch in the midrange, can handle the ball and bully taller and smaller opponents with their strong lower body despite not being the most athletically gifted.

The 6-foot-7, 276-pound Lofton has been hearing the same comparisons since he was at Summer League. Lemoyne-Owen College coach Bonzi Wells, a longtime friend of Randolph’s since they were teenagers, said Lofton looks like a younger Z-Bo.

The 6-9 Randolph, who played around 250 pounds, was a two-time all-star in eight seasons in Memphis (2009-17), and helped usher what became known as the "Grit-N-Grind" era of Grizzlies basketball.

“It takes a lot to fill these shoes,” Randolph said while laughing. “I’m watching him.”

Not only is Randolph watching Lofton, but he’s made himself available for whatever the rookie needs. Randolph gave Lofton his phone number, and he also provided some tips.

One thing that Randolph reminded Lofton of was his potential. Lofton, who is on a two-way contract, has been limited to mainly minutes on the G League Memphis Hustle. He’s played in mop-up duty in five Grizzlies games, averaging 4.6 minutes with 3.0 points and 0.8 rebounds per game.

With the Hustle, Lofton is fourth in the G League with 24.9 points on 55.5% shooting. He's averaging 9.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists.

“Just real active, all over the court,” Randolph said. “He’s got a great knack for the ball, and he got a good touch. I like him.”

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NLess Entertainment's 2022 celebration

Even though he retired as a player after the 2018-19 season, Randolph hasn't stopped working. One of the most notable ventures is being the co-owner of NLess Entertainment. Along with co-owner Marcus "Head" Howell, Randolph has put together one of the finest rosters of hip-hop talent in the South that includes Memphis natives Moneybagg Yo, Big30, Big Homiie G and Dee Mula.

It’s not uncommon to see any of those artists at a Grizzlies game, whether it’s just sitting courtside at FedExForum alongside Ja Morant's father Tee Morant, or spreading money on the floor to provide a little halftime entertainment.

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One of the goals of NLess is to keep identifying some of the best talent in Memphis and surrounding areas. Randolph, who helped launch NLess in 2016, knew that their was a lot of unsigned talent in Memphis.

“I always loved music, so being able to start a company with one of my best friends, Marcus Howell, and being able to grow this, the sky is the limit,” Randolph said. "We're here to think big, think globally."

Last Friday, former Memphis mayor Willie Herenton, basketball star Lester Hudson and NLess artists were among those that joined together downtown to celebrate the label’s success in 2022.

Newly appointed general manager Kemario Brown said 2023 will be a bigger year for the record label as it further implants its plans on the Memphis community.

With Randolph’s relationship with the Grizzlies, you can be sure many more partnerships between the record label and basketball team are in store.

“I’m Grizzlies for life, and this is my label, so it’s a perfect fit,” Randolph said. “They've always been there for me and vice versa."

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis Grizzlies Zach Randolph talks Kenneth Lofton Jr., NLess label