The sophomore slump began early for Jaylen Wells, after finishing third in Rookie of the Year voting last season. Wells was the only 2024 second-round draft pick to make an All-Rookie team last season, and was the first since Eric Paschall in 2020 to make First Team All-Rookie as a second-round draft pick.
His impressive rise to a starter during his rookie season gave the Grizzlies confidence they could expand his role after trading Desmond Bane this summer. However, the transition to more responsibility had hindered Wells in the beginning of his second NBA season, as he regained his shot and the comfort level he had throughout his rookie season. Recent performances have given life back to Wells as he is slowly looking more like the player they saw during his rookie season.
Keep letting it fly
Following an early-season loss to the Detroit Pistons, Jaylen Wells was in the midst of a slump that included him shooting 4-35 in a six-game span. His reaction to it was to keep shooting, with a co-sign from fellow wing, rookie Cedric Coward.
Since that dreadful 2-14 shooting performance, including 0-7 from three, against the Pistons, Wells has shot the basketball over his current season average field goal percentage (38.9%) six times in their last 10 games. Specifically, his three-point shooting has gotten significantly better with a 39.5% clip in his last 10, versus his current season average of 30.1%.
Considering his percentages are in the 30% range means his shooting was in the 20% range during the Grizzlies' first six games. Wells' defense has remained steady, but an added role on offense may have affected his performance on that end. The team wanted to utilize him more on the ball this season, with inconsistent results so far.
He settled for spot-up shooting opportunities at the beginning of the season instead of getting to the midrange off the dribble as he displayed during the summer league and preseason. Despite his shooting percentages being lower, his stats almost mirror his rookie year stats.
The Grizzlies were anticipating Wells taking a leap into a consistent starting level 3-and-D wing, and he is starting to show signs of that possibility. He just had his best game of the season against the Denver Nuggets with 22 points on 8-13 shooting (4-8 from three). Continuing that upward trend will be key to the Grizzlies making a run back to a respectable record in the Western Conference.