Memphis fans know how good Jaylen Wells is, but the casual NBA fan and NBA award voter does not. When Wells was drafted 39th overall in June, many Grizzlies supporters wondered if the Washington State product would be on the team's 15-man roster because of Memphis' surplus of depth on the wing.
But after a good showing in the summer league and a 14-point per game outburst in the preseason, fans began to realize that Wells would make the roster and be a rotational piece. 46 games into the season, Wells has far surpassed any expectations outsiders had of his season. The Grizzlies are 31-15 with the fifth-best record in the NBA, and Wells has been a driving force for his Beale Street Bears.
While averaging 11.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and guarding (and doing it quite well!), some of the top wing scorers in the association, Wells has garnered some national attention for his Rookie of the Year (ROTY) case.
NBA.com's most recent rookie ladder (released Jan. 23rd) had the top three of:
1) Alex Sarr, C, Washington
2) Stephon Castle, G, San Antonio
3) Jaylen Wells, G, Memphis
Vegas and its betting markets are not too far behind NBA.com, as they (consensus) have Wells third, Castle second, and Miami’s Kel’el Ware in first. For a second-round pick to have this much noise surrounding his name for the prestigious award is impressive. Only two Grizzlies have won this award, the first being Pau Gasol (‘01-’02) and, most recently, Ja Morant (‘19-’20).
Sure, to enter your name into the conversation is impressive, but it’s not enough. Jaylen Wells has been the best rookie in the league this year and deserves to be treated as such. So here’s what Grizzlies fans can hang their hat on when making pro-Wells ROTY arguments:
1. Wells' box score numbers are as good as anyone’s (Via The Lead)
- 1st among rookies in scoring (11.7 PPG)
- 1st among rookies in 3PM (93)
- 2nd among rookies in 3PT% (38.8)
- 1st among rookies in plus-minus (166)
- 1st among rookies in offensive rating (119)
- 2nd among rookies in win shares (2.0)
2. Wells is playing winning basketball.
Wells is not only playing but starting for a top-five team in basketball. He’s been hurt, but when former defensive player of the year Marcus Smart was healthy, he was forced into a bench role because of how good Wells has been.
Wells is the only rookie on NBA.com’s rookie ladder, other than his teammate Zach Edey, who plays on a team that is above .500. This is not to say the other rookies' stats are “empty,” but they certainly aren’t as impactful as Wells.
3. Wells' impact is felt everywhere.
Wells’ 17.0% offensive usage rate is third among rookies and is especially impressive given he’s on a team with as many go-to offensive scorers as the Grizzlies have. Castle and Sarr are the only two rookies with a higher usage rate, both playing for lower-tier teams with fewer scoring options.
Wells is often granted the job of face-guarding the best guard of Grizzlies opponents, and sure, he has taken his lumps (as every good defender does), but his defensive IQ and effort have been on full display since day one.
On December 20th, as Stephen Curry's primary defender, Wells held Curry to the worst offensive output of his career, going 0-7 from the field with just two points. On October 31st, Wells helped hold Damian Lillard to four points on 1-12 shooting.
When watching this clip, take your eyes away from the ball. Watch Jaylen Wells defending Anthony Edwards. Wells is face-guarding Edwards, scarcely concerned about the ball or what's happening elsewhere. Fully locked in. And Wells did this to Edwards throughout Q4 in each of the… pic.twitter.com/8H98VxhRYt
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) January 21, 2025
In Memphis’ two recent games against the Timberwolves, Minnesota star guard Anthony Edwards shot just 12-32 combined. Who had the Edwards assignment? You guessed it, the deserving Rookie of the Year, Jaylen Wells.