Desmond Bane hoping to model career after Grizzlies veteran

Last season, one of the biggest bright spots for the Memphis Grizzlies was the emergence of Desmond Bane. After a solid rookie campaign, the 24-year-old took a massive step forward in year two.

In 76 games last season, Bane averaged 18.2 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 2.7 APG, all career highs. On top of that, he finished second in the NBA in three-point percentage at 43.6% on roughly seven attempts per game.

When guys are making their way to the NBA, they always look to other players to draw inspiration. For Bane, he chose someone who happens to be his teammate now. During a recent interview, he told the media that he hopes to have a similar career as veteran guard/wing Danny Green.

"That’s a guy I really looked up to coming into the league. When people were asking me for player comparisons and who I wanted to be like and what type of career I wanted to have, he was the name. Shot the ball well, good defender, won championships, always on winning teams. That’s the same type of legacy I want to carry."

Desmond Bane picked a perfect player to model his career after

For all the reasons he mentioned, Desmond Bane could not have picked a better player to try and mold his career after. Danny Green has won championships with three different organizations, and that is no coincidence. He is a high-quality role player that found a way to be valuable to contending teams.

Desmond Bane understands he isn’t going to be a superstar-level player and is perfectly okay with that. Instead, he is putting his focus on becoming a key piece for good teams for years to come.

Luckily for Bane, he has all the makings to be a similar type of player as Danny Green. He is a high-IQ player that is capable of being a positive on both ends of the floor. Also, because he is a lights-out shooter from deep, his game will always complement star talent. Especially on a team like the Grizzlies, where their top player is a guard who thrives when getting downhill.

Throughout his career, Green has mentored countless young players during his various stops across the league. Following Bane’s latest comments, it appears he has found his newest student.