Nobody believed in Desmond Bane, and he became a star despite it

Desmond Bane wasn't the most exciting prospect ahead of the 2020 NBA Draft. However, Bane knew he could make a difference for the team that would draft him even though he was a four-year college player heading into his NBA career, which usually isn't a good sign because the most talented players leave the college after year 1..

With his four years at TCU, Bane developed a more mature mindset than most players heading into the Draft. He knew how his role would turn out as he developed his game in college. Bane manifested his role as he worked out because he played at a high level with the style he once talked about before the Draft and getting selected by the Memphis Grizzlies with the 30th overall pick.

“I feel like I can make shots at a high level. I bring a lot of energy and passion on both ends of the floor and I feel like I have a strong IQ, which will allow me to be a good defender right away,” Bane said ahead of the Draft. “So I feel like I'll be able to defend and make shots right away, and with a lot of these playoff teams, that's kind of what they're looking for, and even some of these teams that are rebuilding.”

Bane has lived up to his role

As soon as he joined the Grizzlies, Bane became one of the most impressive rookies in his class. He stepped in as a rotation shooting guard in the 2020/21 season, scoring 9.2 points per game and shooting 43.2% from beyond the arc. It was the optimal role for Bane because he thrived as the off-ball shooter alongside a playmaker like Ja Morant.

He broke out as a starter in Coach Taylor Jenkins’ squad in the 2021/22 season, starting in all 76 games he played. Desmond was the Most Improved Player of the Year candidate, an award that Ja Morant won. However, the athletic guard gave it to Bane because he knew the shooting guard deserved it, as he doubled his scoring output to 18.2 points per game.

Bane is a building block for the Grizzlies

Since Bane has started to maximize his role as the complementary shooting guard to Morant, he has become a building block for Memphis. He has become a 20+ points per game scorer, which is significant for the long term.

Desmond is the primary gunner for Memphis, as he is a reliable threat with his perimeter shooting. His 23.7 points per game average in the 2023/24 season was encouraging because the 2024/25 season looks for a return to form for the Grizzlies.

It is what Bane expected from the start, as Memphis is ready to keep competing with him as the starting shooting guard and one of the biggest stars on the team.

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