Memphis Grizzlies: 3 players who have had surprisingly good seasons in 2021

No. 3: Memphis Grizzlies Rookie G Desmond Bane has been the biggest surprise of 2021

Who saw this coming? The former TCU Horned Frog Desmond Bane definitely had a handful of potential out of college, but nobody expected him to be an instant-impact kind of guy. This narrative is only reinforced when you see how deep the Grizzlies are at the two-guard position.

But somehow, someway, the rookie shooting guard made the impossible happen, becoming one of the best rookies in his class.

Bane is playing 22.4 minutes per game and he looks like a veteran player out on the court. You don’t see typical rookie mistakes out of him, while he still brings the energy of a young player to this Grizzlies team.

But none of that matters as much as his ability to shoot the basketball.

At 45.5%, Bane has made his living shooting at a high clip in the NBA. When the ball leaves his hand, it feels like it’ll go in every time. He’s the anti-Ja Morant from long-range in that aspect. From the free-throw line, Bane has shot 82% — a solid number with room for improvement.

He hasn’t been a slouch defensively either. He has played with aggressiveness against tough offensive players and held his own out on the court. He averages 0.7 steals per contest.

That said, the next couple of players have had a profound impact on this team in 2021.