The Memphis Grizzlies drafted two of the best rookies in the league in the 2020 NBA Draft. At the time, these weren’t thought of as particularly amazing prospects.
Desmond Bane was a solid shooting guard in college with an apparent role player ceiling at the NBA level. Xavier Tillman Sr. built a solid role for himself on the Grizzlies, becoming one of the team’s best defenders and an early candidate for best steal of the draft. Both players were huge in the Grizzlies’ 2021 NBA Playoff run.
Oddly enough, both of these players saw a drastic decrease in minutes played against the Utah Jazz, even when the team needed them to help defensively and on the perimeter.
Bane specifically, however, carved out a starting role for himself in the Grizzlies’ rotation during the regular season. He wasn’t the number one option, but he stepped up as a player who could be the starter for this team and supply a shooting boost whenever the Taylor Jenkins needed it.
Memphis Grizzlies rookie Desmond Bane called his meeting with LeBron James a “welcome to the NBA moment”
The concept of a “welcome to the NBA moment” isn’t unique to Desmond Bane. Generally speaking, this is something that NBA veterans reflect upon, but in the modern NBA, it may happen earlier than it did for players in the past.
This week, Desmond Bane shared his moment, featuring one of the best to ever do it. Bane talked to Slam about his experience involving LeBron James.
"“Right! Bron! For sure! Bron! I mean the first time that we played the Lakers. We played the Lakers about, I would say, five games, six games into the season, so it was still early on, I’m getting a feel for things. And we had played I think maybe one playoff team—one or two playoff teams—and, you know, they were coming off a championship and being hungry for another one. I think that that was my real “Welcome to the NBA” moment. There was stretches when I guarding LeBron and I was like man, ‘this dude is so damn big. Shit crazy.'”"
LeBron is arguably the most physically menacing player to ever set foot on an NBA court, standing at 6-8, 250 pounds with more athleticism than anybody else in the league.
Bane’s “welcome to the NBA” moment must have helped, as he earned an NBA All-Rookie Second-Team honor in his first season.