And if the fourth year in the league Desmond Bane was the one that finished establishing its place among the best exteriors in the country? With the absence of Ja Morant for 25 games, we can in any case say that he will have the opportunity to change dimension and establish himself as an All-Star in the West.
A necessity for Grizzliesalso faced with injuries to Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke, as they will need an XXL season from their 25-year-old to stay among the elite of their conference.
Especially since his summer extension ($206 million over five years) in fact, with Jaren Jackson Jr, the interim boss of the team.
In the defeat of Memphis against New Orleans last night, we could also see that the role of Desmond Bane had evolved on the field.
“ He became a leader, naturally “, explains his coach, Taylor Jenkins. “ He found his rhythm and his voice. He set the tone early in training camp, making his voice heard at the start and end of practices. The guys flock to him because he leads by example. »
Illustration with the rookie GG Jacksonincidentally the youngest player in the league: “ He is the one I call ‘captain’ on the team. With his demeanor, you can tell he’s the alpha male of this team, the most mature professional of them all. I always try to make jokes, to bring positivity, but he remains unfazed. He is very serious about his job. When it’s time to get going, he’s focused. »
Experience strengthens leadership
No longer a leader therefore, Desmond Bane appreciates and accepts for the moment this new status which has fallen upon him, although he was not intended for it at the time of his Draft in 2020 (30th position).
“ When you’ve been in this league for several years, you start to make your voice heard and gain confidence in the things you know and say in the locker room or during video sessions. “, he specifies. “ Experience is the best teacher. It’s my fourth season now and we’ve made the playoffs every year, it’s a great experience. Outside of court, having a child has really slowed down my life and put priorities into perspective. These two things helped me mature, on and off the field. »
Still, for his first outing of the season, Desmond Bane did his best to lead the Grizzlies to victory against the Pelicans, but his 31 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists were not enough. We nevertheless saw him take more responsibility with the ball in hand, while he can count on the advice of Ja Morant.
“ To just do what I know how to do », he confides, in the words of his leader. “ We had several discussions and he emphasized that nothing changes, that I have to play and stay true to myself, and then the rest will fall into place naturally. I feel good, I have the feeling of being in a good position. We had a good pre-season and we are trying to build from there. Any time you do something new, you’re bound to encounter challenges, but it will benefit us come playoff time. »
| Desmond Bane | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2020-21 | SAME | 68 | 22 | 46.9 | 43.2 | 81.6 | 0.5 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 9.2 |
| 2021-22 | SAME | 76 | 30 | 46.1 | 43.6 | 90.3 | 0.6 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 2.7 | 2.6 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 18.2 |
| 2022-23 | SAME | 58 | 32 | 47.9 | 40.8 | 88.3 | 0.7 | 4.3 | 5.0 | 4.4 | 2.6 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 21.5 |
| Total | 202 | 28 | 46.9 | 42.5 | 88.3 | 0.6 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 2.9 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 16.1 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
