Chosen in 30th position in the 2020 Draft by Memphis after a full four-year course at TCU University (which explains his age), Desmond Bane had delivered an honorable rookie season in Tennessee (9.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.7 passes). For his sophomore season, the back has already moved up a gear: starting in the 50 matches in which he took part, he doubled his “scoring” performance (18 points per game) and increased his contribution to rebounds and the pass (4.4 and 2.4).
Within a Grizzlies team that surprises and clashes in the West (36-18), Desmond Bane therefore stands out as the third thief behind the club’s flagship duo, Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.
Thanks in particular to his skill behind the arc (41.8% success rate out of 6.9 attempts per game), the player takes advantage of the attention generated by his two teammates to sanction with regularity at long distance. And judging by his foot call, he’d appreciate an invite to Cleveland’s upcoming All-Star Weekend 3-point contest.
” It’s an exciting time for Memphis, that’s for sure.” he claimed about the Grizzlies’ great form this season. ” We worked hard to get there, I think last season was beneficial from the experience point of view. I am obviously satisfied with what we have achieved, but this is only the beginning. We still have a lot to do.“
His position in the Draft, an additional motivation
Despite a “senior” season in the NCAA at 16.6 points and 44% three-point success, Desmond Bane had to settle for a 30th position in the 2020 Draft, at the very end of the first round. While he was grateful to have achieved his dream of reaching the NBA, he admitted that the pill had been hard to swallow.
” I was happy to be in the NBA, first and foremost. It was a dream come true, but I thought I was better than some of the chosen guys before me mulled the Indiana native.
Since then, Desmond Bane has applied himself to be a hit on the field as soon as he faces one of the 29 players selected before him in the first round of this Draft. Latest example: his match with 34 points (12/21), 7 rebounds and 3 steals, Monday against the 76ers of a certain Tyrese Maxey (who ended with 33 points, 3 rebounds, 8 assists and 4 blocks), selected by the Philly franchise in the 21st position.
” If on the field there is a player who was drafted before me, it is a motivation, certainly. And a lot of times those guys aren’t even on the court the other nights. They go through complicated periods, they try to make their way through the rotation. I take it personally, that’s for sure. he concludes, without filter.
To the delight of the Grizzlies.
| Shots | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | bp | Int | CT | party | Points |
| Ja Morant | 40 | 33.3 | 49.1 | 35.4 | 76.3 | 1.4 | 4.5 | 6.0 | 6.8 | 3.5 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 26.4 |
| Dillon Brooks | 21 | 27.9 | 42.6 | 32.7 | 88.9 | 0.8 | 2.5 | 3.3 | 2.7 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 3.3 | 18.4 |
| Desmond Bane | 49 | 30.2 | 47.1 | 42.0 | 89.4 | 0.5 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 2.4 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 18.1 |
| Jaren Jackson, Jr. | 52 | 27.9 | 41.8 | 31.4 | 79.6 | 1.4 | 4.4 | 5.8 | 1.1 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 3.4 | 16.4 |
| Brandon Clarke | 38 | 18.5 | 65.5 | 22.2 | 69.7 | 1.9 | 3.2 | 5.1 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 9.9 |
| De’anthony Melton | 44 | 23.0 | 38.1 | 32.0 | 69.6 | 1.0 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 2.7 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 1.8 | 9.7 |
| Tyus Jones | 46 | 21.0 | 46.8 | 38.3 | 92.1 | 0.3 | 2.4 | 2.7 | 4.2 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 8.1 |
| Kyle Anderson | 40 | 22.4 | 43.6 | 35.1 | 65.6 | 0.9 | 4.3 | 5.3 | 2.6 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 8.0 |
| Zaire Williams | 33 | 21.1 | 40.5 | 24.6 | 86.4 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 1.8 | 6.8 |
| steven adams | 49 | 26.1 | 51.9 | 0.0 | 57.3 | 4.3 | 5.1 | 9.4 | 3.0 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 6.6 |
| John Konchar | 45 | 18.5 | 50.3 | 40.8 | 60.6 | 1.2 | 3.3 | 4.5 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 4.7 |
| Xavier Tillman, Sr. | 38 | 13.3 | 44.4 | 17.6 | 64.6 | 1.2 | 1.8 | 3.0 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 4.5 |
| Sam Merrill | 6 | 9.6 | 33.3 | 30.4 | 50.0 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 4.2 |
| Jarrett Culver | 23 | 9.8 | 41.9 | 28.6 | 52.4 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 4.0 |
| Killian Tillie | 31 | 13.7 | 36.5 | 34.2 | 62.5 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 1.7 | 3.7 |
| Santi Aldama | 27 | 10.2 | 38.1 | 10.3 | 60.0 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 2.4 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 3.3 |
| Dakota Mathias | 6 | 2.7 | 33.3 | 33.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.0 |
| Shaq Buchanan | 2 | 4.9 | 25.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 1.0 |
| Tyrell Terry | 2 | 1.5 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 1.0 |
| Daquan Jeffries | 3 | 2.9 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.7 |
| Yves Pons | 7 | 3.2 | 33.3 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Jon Teske | 3 | 2.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Xavier Sneed | 2 | 3.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
