NFL
By: Jordan Hom
The up-and-coming Memphis Grizzlies have shown themselves to be a force in the brutal western conference this season. As the season starts to wind down, the Grizzlies currently sit at third place ahead of the Utah Jazz. They have already surpassed their 2020-21 season win total of 38 wins and are in prime position to surpass the Golden State Warriors in the standings for the number 2 spot in the west.
While the Memphis brand of basketball has been forged with the identity of defense and toughness in the previous decade, this Grizzlies team is much different than the “Grit and Grind” Grizzlies that was led by Marc Gasol, Mike Conley, and Zach Randolph in the mid-2010s. Those teams had strong chemistry and even advanced to the 2013 Western Conference Finals but they failed at their ultimate goal of winning an NBA Championship before the team was dismantled. However, this team has all the tools and talent to go even further than their predecessors ever did. Led by rising star Ja Morant, this current team plays at a much faster pace than the “Grit and Grind” teams ever played at.
Ja Morant, the 2019 second overall draft pick behind Zion Williamson, has exploded onto the scene with his blazing speed and jaw-dropping athleticism. Currently, he is averaging just under 28 points per game while dishing out 6.6 dimes per game. His strong play was rewarded earlier this season as he was named as one of the 2022 NBA All-Star starters alongside stars like Stephen Curry, LeBron James, and Nikola Jokic. Morant’s blend of high-flying athleticism and speed is reminiscent of former MVP Derrick Rose, who achieved the league’s highest individual honor in 2011. Allen Iverson, another former MVP, even endorsed the young star for MVP honors. Although it might be a bit premature to anoint the 22-year-old as the next MVP of the league, given the myriad of other strong candidates in Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo making cases of their own, Ja Morant has definitely immersed himself into the conversation at least and he should see his name in future MVP conversations in the coming seasons.
Alongside Morant, the other young star in the Grizzlies core is Jaren Jackson Jr., who has shown to be a solid piece to compliment Morant. The 22-year-old Jackson was drafted fourth overall in the 2018 NBA draft. Despite being injured for a large duration of the 2020-21 NBA season, Jackson has stayed healthy for a majority of this season. Currently, he is averaging 16.5 ppg and 6.0 rpg with a career-high 2.2 blocks per game. Jackson has emerged as one of the league’s top shot blockers, just behind 3x Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert. However, despite his growth, there is much of Jaren Jackson’s game that could be improved, especially in regards to rebounding, but he has shown enough so far in his young career to solidify himself as a major building block for the team’s young core.
Desmond Bane, another young piece to the Grizzlies core, has emerged as one of the team’s top scorers with an average of 17.5 ppg. Unlike Morant and Jackson, who left college in their sophomore and freshman year respectively, Bane stayed all four years at Texas Christian University (TCU), becoming the first TCU player selected in the first round since 1995. After a promising rookie season in which he was named to the All-Rookie second team, Bane has elevated his game to another level this season, earning himself a spot as one of the league’s best marksman from deep with a 41% average. Although he did not win, his stellar three-point shooting even earned himself a spot in this past 2022 three-point contest.
One of the underrated pieces to the Grizzlies success can be attributed to New Zealand native Steven Adams. At just 28, Adams finds himself as one of the oldest members of this young Memphis squad but his leadership has been a key factor in the success of this team. Adams was acquired from the New Orleans Pelicans this past offseason in a trade that sent Jonas Valanciunas (who is having a stellar season of his own) to the Pelicans. Although Adam’s box score numbers don’t jump off the screen, much of his impact is found through the intangibles and toughness that he brings to the team. Adams ranks among the top with 5.6 screen assists per game, which is a stat that tracks screens that directly lead to a made field goal. Additionally, Adams sits at the top of the leaderboard with the most box-outs and offensive rebounds per game. The intangibles that he brings to the team have made it much easier for his teammates like Ja Morant to score easy baskets.
Rounding out the other pieces to this Memphis Grizzlies team include a mix of solid contributors such as Brandon Clarke, De’Anthony Melton, Kyle Anderson, Dillon Brooks, Tyus Jones, Ziaire Williams, John Konchar, and Killian Tillie. With a rising young star in Ja Morant alongside other key players in Jaren Jackson Jr. and Steven Adams, this team is poised to make a deep playoff run this coming April. The opportunity is nearing for this young squad and they have every ounce of potential (assuming they stay healthy) to be a perennial contender for not only this season, but future seasons to come.[pickup_prop id=”14106″]
