One of many young and talented Grizzlies, Desmond Bane, is delivering for the Memphis team who drafted him at the end of the first round last season.
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In a year that brought in a lot of positives for the Memphis Grizzlies, Desmond Bane came up as one of the biggest ones last season. The 6’5 guard out of TCU averaged over 9 points, 3 rebounds and one and a half assists a game playing just over 22 minutes in his rookie season in the NBA.
He helped Grizzlies in defeating the San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors in the Playin tournament and reaching the playoffs for the first time in 4 years.
This year with Dillon Brooks’ absence from the starting lineup due to injury and Jonas Valanciunas’ trade to the Pelicans, Bane had the opportunity to step up and grab more points.
He took the opportunity with both hands and has established himself as a starter 23 games in. Even after Dillon Brooks’ return, he started all the games. And although he’s playing just over 28 minutes a game, he has been very efficient for the Grizzlies.
While doing that and scoring career highs he is also keeping an eye on which teams passed over him in the drafts.
Desmond Bane punishes Dallas Mavericks for not drafting him
The shooting guard in his sophomore year is putting up 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists per game. On Saturday night he had a career-high, 29-points against Luka Doncic less Dallas Mavericks. The same Mavericks team in which he thought he’d fit like a glove if they drafted him.
Not only Mavericks, but many other teams who had the first 29 picks in the 2020 draft class, passed on the chance to sign Bane. He remembers each of them and even the players who they selected before him. And he is calling out names.
Josh Green was the 18th pick by the Mavericks in 2020 which Bane thought was his opportunity to play with Luka Doncic. However it panned out, Desmond Bane is in the best place surrounded by young talent who are not just developing but winning.
And to add to his joy his exceptional outing against the Mavericks has put Grizzlies two places clear of them, at 4th position in the West.
Bane can call out every team and the players they chose over him if he keeps giving performances like these. He’ll be getting much more minutes until Ja Morant is out of the lineup, he already looks like fancying his chances.
