Grizzlies: Aaron Henry could form a Michigan State reunion in Memphis

Right now, the Memphis Grizzlies‘ upcoming choice in the NBA Draft is relatively unclear. The Grizzlies have needs in terms of 3-point shooting, perimeter defending, and depth down low, so they could go in virtually any direction this year.

That is why we are exploring every possible option, including a player who likely won’t be named among possible picks from Memphis.

I’ll be honest — this one is more of a fun hypothetical than it is realistic. Still, this one could legitimately happen. The player that I’m talking about is Aaron Henry, a forward out of Michigan State.

Michigan State F Aaron Henry could give the Memphis Grizzlies their third Tom Izzo-coached player

The main argument keeping Aaron Henry in the Grizzlies’ sights is the fact that he comes from Michigan State. The Grizz have had great luck with spartans on their team, with arguably the greatest player in the history of the franchise having played in East Lansing in Zach Randolph.

Fast forward to present day and you have two Michigan State big men on the roster. The first is Jaren Jackson Jr., the 4th overall pick from the 2018 NBA Draft who has an extremely high ceiling. After missing a lot of basketball in the 2020-21 season, he was never able to settle in this season. Still, he’s the second-most talented player on the team.

The second spartan on the roster is Xavier Tillman Sr., the Grizzlies’ second-round draft choice in the 2020 NBA Draft who has quickly turned into one of the most important role players on this team.

So even though Henry may not be at the top of the Grizzlies’ draft board, he should be a player that Zach Kleiman looks into. Right now, Henry is projected to go somewhere in the second round. In all likelihood, he will be off of the board by the time the 51st pick comes around.

Still, Henry would be a solid addition to this Grizzlies team. He plays tough defense, as all Tom Izzo-coached players do. We’ve seen this out of JJJ, Tillman, and Z-Bo. Henry is no exception.

The Michigan State forward is best known for a video clip that showed him getting screamed at by his head coach during March Madness. This ended up amounting to nothing, while Henry scored a career-high in the following game.

The spartan averaged 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks per game in 2020-21, and despite a down year as a shooter, he was an efficient scorer. Henry averaged 15.4 points per game and was the leader of a Michigan State basketball team that clawed its way into a play-in game for the NCAA Tournament.

The great thing about Henry is that he is a strong defender against smaller players, but isn’t afraid to step up to a challenge against a larger defender. Even at 6-6, he could fill in at the power forward position in a small-ball lineup if the situation presented itself.

Again, this one is not extremely likely to happen, but Henry should not be completely removed from the Grizz’s radar. Keep an eye out for the former Michigan State basketball player as a guy who could produce at the next level.