Desmond Bane of the Memphis Grizzlies has always been an unsung hero of this young Memphis squad.
Everyone knows about Ja Morant and his star status. However, the Grizzlies may have found Morant’s
sidekick with how well Bane has progressed. While the Memphis shooting guard will miss two to three weeks now with a right toe sprain, he should not miss a beat once he returns. The Grizzlies are going to miss Bane’s dynamic play, especially since teams will now be keying in defensively on Ja Morant. With that being said, let’s look at Desmond Bane’s impact and what his ceiling could possibly be for the future.
Desmond Bane: The Unsung Star of the Grizzlies
Desmond Bane’s Numbers
Desmond Bane is already putting up All-Star numbers. For this season, he is averaging a total of 24.7
points, 4.9 total rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game. Not to mention, Bane is also shooting 45.1 percent
from three-point range to go along with a field goal percentage of 46.5 percent. He is also a great free-throw shooter as he is shooting 91.2 percent from the charity stripe. His numbers have steadily increased each season of his young three-year career.
Bane’s advanced numbers are also impressive. For this season, he is averaging a player efficiency rating
of 21.7, an offensive rating of 125, and a box plus/minus of +4.6. Desmond has also logged career-highs
in assist percentage, defensive rebounding percentage, and true shooting percentage so far this season.
He is recording an assist percentage of 22.1 percent, a defensive rebounding percentage of 14.0
percent, and a true shooting percentage of 62.2 percent. The year is still young, but don’t be surprised
to see these totals get even better with how well Bane has developed.
Bane’s Impact and Potential
Bane has been an integral part of Memphis’ recent success. While Ja Morant gets most of the credit for
helping the Grizzlies rebuild, and deservedly so, his backcourt mate has been just as instrumental. Not
only does Bane have the potential to not just become an All-Star in the very near future, but to also
form the next premier backcourt in the NBA.
📹 02/11 #NBA HIGHLIGHTS
– Desmond Bane
29 PTS, 8 REB, 5 AST, 5 3PM#Portland #Trailblazers #POR #Memphis #Grizzlies #MEM #NBAItalia #NBATwitter
pic.twitter.com/6Op7C6pY0T— NBA News 24 (@nbaitalianews24) November 3, 2022
Bane simply fits in this Memphis system. He plays extremely well off of Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. and
is doing all the right things during his development. He may not be a household name like other young
and upcoming guards such as Darius Garland, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, or Jordan Poole, but he still belongs
in the conversation.
We already went over the numbers and how they prove that Bane could be the next best auxiliary star.
His play has also contributed massively to the team success. Bane had a major role in the Grizzlies
getting to the second round of the playoffs last year where they put up a fight against the eventual
champion Golden State Warriors. As of right now, Memphis is currently fourth in the Western
Conference with a 9-5 win-loss record. Desmond Bane has had a ton to do with this team’s success and
it is time for the NBA world to start recognizing his importance to this young team.
Main Photo: Embed from Getty Images