Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane surpasses 3 All-Stars in recent rankings

The Memphis Grizzlies may be a team headlined by the likes of established All-Stars Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., but head coach Taylor Jenkins’ roster is chock full of tremendous talents who have proven to be high-impact players throughout their respective careers.

Some could even argue that the club possesses several individuals outside of the aforementioned stars that are top options at their position even when compared to the rest of the competition across the league.

HoopsHype’s Frank Urbina certainly believes this to be the case when it comes to sharpshooter Desmond Bane, as he was listed as the seventh-best shooting guard in the NBA in the seasoned writer’s latest rankings.

Though the majority of players seen placed ahead of Bane on Urbina’s list should not be surprising for anyone (though one could argue it could go either way between him and Tyrese Maxey), when it comes to those who fell in back of him, some could be left feeling a bit perplexed.

Behind the 25-year-old, what’s most eye-catching is that there are three established All-Stars in Bradley Beal (eight), Dejounte Murray (nine), and Klay Thompson (13). Now, from name recognition and career accolades alone, such a sight could be a bit odd to see for the everyday fan.

That said, for the faithful followers of the Grizzlies organization, Bane’s standing should come as no surprise.

Through three seasons in the association, the former TCU standout has quietly but confidently become one of the best young talents the game currently has to offer.

Coming off his best season yet in 2022-23, despite suffering from a nagging toe injury for the majority of the campaign Bane still managed to put forth career-high numbers virtually all across the board, boasting averages of 21.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.4 assists while shooting a highly efficient 47.9 percent from the field and 40.8 percent from distance.

As a result of his stupendous efforts, he was able to ink a five-year, $207M max contract extension to remain with the Grizzlies through at least 2029.

Since being nabbed with the 30 overall pick back in the 2020 NBA Draft, Bane has continuously improved upon his overall play with every passing season and has quickly become one of the game’s most promising young prospects.

Heading into 2023-24, the hope in Memphis is that this trajectory will only continue to go upward and it appears Urbina feels confident that it will.

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