Latest news with #JavonSmall
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Three takeaways from Memphis Grizzlies' summer league loss vs Hawks, injury to Jahmai Mashack
Looks like the best the Memphis Grizzlies can claim in the NBA Summer League will be a consolation prize for their work in Las Vegas. The Grizzlies lost 92-88 to the Atlanta Hawks on July 17 at Thomas and Mack Center. The Grizzlies rallied back from a 14-point deficit in the third quarter to tie the game late in the fourth quarter and make it interesting. Memphis rookie Jahmai Mashack from Tennessee appeared to have injured his ankle coming down from a dunk late in the fourth quarter. There was no word about his status after the game. The Grizzlies are now 1-3 in summer league games in Las Vegas and drop to the consolation round for likely one final game. Here are three takeaways from the Grizzlies' loss against the Hawks. Grizzlies without Jaylen Wells, new lineup Jaylen Wells did not play against the Hawks and will be shut down for the remainder of summer league, according to a Grizzlies spokesperson. He had a dominant presence during summer league, playing two games in Salt Lake City and three in Las Vegas. The Grizzlies also changed the lineup. Mashack and rookie Javon Small started along with Cam Spencer, GG Jackson and Will Magnay. Javon Small back in action Second-round draft pick Javon Small was back in the starting lineup after missing the last three summer league games. He had a strong performance with team-high 11 points at halftime. Small finished with a team-high 17 points, five assists and five rebounds. Cam Spencer, GG Jackson stats Spencer had 16 points, two assists and four rebounds in 28 minutes. He shot 6-of-17 from the field. Jackson added 13 points and four rebounds. SAUNDERS: Memphis Grizzlies hire Ryan Saunders as new lead assistant coach What's next The Grizzlies have one more game left in Las Vegas. They will play an undetermined opponent in a consolation game on either July 18 or 20. This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Grizzlies: Three takeaways from Memphis' summer league loss vs Hawks
USA Today
10-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Official: Grizzlies sign No. 48 overall pick Javon Small to two-way contract
The @memgrizz today announced the team signed Javon Small to a two-way contract. Former West Virginia guard Javon Small, the No. 48 pick in the 2025 NBA draft, signed a two-way contract with the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday, the team announced. Small was an All-Big 12 first-team selection last season, averaging a career-high 18.6 points, 5.6 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.5 steals on 35.3% shooting from 3-point range in 32 games as a senior. He ranked second in the conference in scoring average and third in assists. The 6-foot-1 standout finished in double figures in all but two games with the Mountaineers, including 14 20-point performances. He produced a season-high 31 points and seven rebounds on Nov. 27 in an overtime win over Gonzaga. Small began his collegiate career by playing two seasons at East Carolina. He then transferred to Oklahoma State for one year, where he was an All-Big 12 honorable mention, averaging 15.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists and one steal on 37.4% shooting from 3-point range in 31 games. The 22-year-old will split his time next season between the NBA and the Memphis Hustle in the G League. He is eligible to be active for up to 50 games in the NBA and will earn $636,435, equal to 50% of the minimum salary applicable to a player with zero years of service. Small will suit up for the Grizzlies in the NBA Summer League for at least five games, beginning on Friday against the Boston Celtics (4 p.m. EDT, NBA TV).
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Five takeaways from Memphis Grizzlies 2025 NBA Draft class player introductions
The Memphis Grizzlies' three-man draft class stood side by side as they posed for photos. There was Cedric Coward, Javon Small and Jahmai Mashack. General manager Zach Kleiman was at one end, coach Tuomas Iisalo at the other. Advertisement Once the photos were done, the players headed out of the conference room and were greeted by Grizzlies forward GG Jackson, who dapped them up. Kleiman joked that Jackson, who is still 20, is younger than all three of the 2025 draft picks. And that is true. This draft class features three players with multiple years of collegiate basketball experience, and all of them looked comfortable sitting in front of a contingent of local media members. Here are five takeaways from the introductory news conference at FedExForum on June 27. The rookies did their homework Call Memphis a small market, or complain about the Grizzlies' lack of national TV games, but none of that stopped these rookies from knowing about their new team. Advertisement Coward, the No. 11 pick, again referenced "grit and grind" when speaking about his knowledge of Memphis. He also brought up the name for the grouping of Tony Allen, Marc Gasol, Mike Conley and Zach Randolph. "They had the Core Four, which I'm pretty sure all of us grew up watching," Coward said. "I just want to be a part of that as well and just have a positive impact, no matter what." Mashack, who grew up in California, spent a lot of his childhood watching Allen. "He might not be the most popular person to watch for a lot of people, but for me, it was something special," Mashack said. Small mentioned how the Grizzlies have a nice mix of young and veteran players. Advertisement "I'm just ready to get in and compete," he said. "I think that's what everybody wants to do." Summer league next? Summer league action for the Grizzlies will begin on July 5 in Salt Lake City before they go to the Las Vegas league. Each of the rookies are in different positions in terms of their potential availability. Coward, who is in the final stages of recovering from a shoulder injury, is expected to be "TBD" for summer league, Kleiman said. Mashack, who was acquired in a Day 2 trade and taken at No. 59, is still waiting on the deal to be finalized. Once that is done, he is expected to be able to join the team. Advertisement As for Small, he's good to go and will be with the Grizzlies for summer league. Cedric Coward's personality shines bright Coward certainly isn't camera shy. When the rookies entered the conference room, he looked over to the media members and waved his hand, flashing a big smile. He talked about his admiration for cooking tacos and wings, among other things. That personality and looseness is part of what got Coward to Memphis. He mentioned multiple times that he wants to keep doing the things that got him here. While he was mostly was talking about his basketball work, having that bubbly personality will make him a fan favorite in no time. Tuomas Iisalo getting new pieces Iisalo spoke publicly for the first time since his promotion from an interim role. He said he's excited about the new group as the Grizzlies aim to get more athletic and add positional length. Advertisement "They fit in very well with what we want to do," he said. "Each one of them have multiple developmental pathways, how they can improve." Iisalo will be coaching the Grizzlies during summer league. Jahmai Mashack's confidence Evident by his admiration for Allen, Mashack likes to get after it on the defensive end. He was regarded as one of the best defenders in the draft class, but lasted until the final pick because he didn't put up strong offensive numbers. In 38 starts as a senior, he averaged 6.0 points and 1.5 assists per game. He knows his offense will be a big talking point, but the new Grizzlies guard sounds confident in his ability to shoot the ball. Mashack called his shooting "underrated." At Tennessee, he took 1.5 3-pointers per game and made 35.1%. Advertisement "I know what I'm capable of," he said. "I know that I'm a solid shooter. I know I'm growing to be even better. I know if I can get that in my game, I'm going to be a great and complete player in this league." Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC. This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis Grizzlies 2025 NBA Draft class introduced at FedExForum
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Emotional reaction of Javon Small's grandpa to Grizzlies pick goes viral
The post Emotional reaction of Javon Small's grandpa to Grizzlies pick goes viral appeared first on ClutchPoints. Memphis Grizzlies' newest guard Javon Small had a viral moment involving his grandpa after getting selected in the 2025 NBA Draft. Memphis is in the middle of revamping its roster after the blockbuster trade of shooting guard Desmond Bane. The Grizzlies are looking to build an elite supporting cast around the core of Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. for the foreseeable future, and are hoping to take that good-to-great jump. And the franchise has replaced Bane with several quality role players, including the West Virginia standout. Advertisement Small has had a long road to the NBA, and his family was justifiably emotional when hearing his name called at No. 48 overall. In particular, Javon's grandpa went viral for his reaction in a beautiful moment. Four years ago, the 6'3 guard was an unranked recruit out of Indianapolis who had just signed to play with East Carolina. Small played two years with the Pirates, improving each season he was with the program. The tenacious guard subsequently played the last two seasons of his college career at Big 12 schools, Oklahoma State and then West Virginia. With the Mountaineers, Small had his best year yet, averaging 18.6 points, 5.6 assists, and 1.5 steals en route to a First-team All-Big 12 selection. The 22-year-old is a versatile backcourt player on both ends, who provides the kind of point-of-attack defense that can immediately help a team like the Grizzlies. Small will likely have to work his way up from the G League at first, but he has the upside to contribute to this roster sooner rather than later. Still, Memphis has a ton of good pros in the backcourt even with Bane gone. Advertisement In addition to Morant and Small, this roster comprises Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Scotty Pippen Jr., Luke Kennard, Cole Anthony, and No. 11 overall pick Cedric Coward. Starting small forward Jaylen Wells also has the capability of filling in at shooting guard in certain situations. While it won't be easy for Javon to gain a rotation spot, he is used to being underestimated before. The young guard possesses the determination and grit that this franchise needs going forward. Overall, Small earned this moment on Thursday night, and his family deserves their flowers for helping him reach this point. Javon is undoubtedly ready to get to work for the Summer League. Related: Grizzlies, Blazers trade grades for 2025 NBA Draft deal Related: Why Grizzlies see Giannis Antetokounmpo potential in Cedric Coward
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Grizzlies, Blazers trade grades for 2025 NBA Draft deal
The post Grizzlies, Blazers trade grades for 2025 NBA Draft deal appeared first on ClutchPoints. The 2025 NBA Draft day brought forth a range of surprises. While nobody doubted Cooper Flagg would be selected by the Dallas Mavericks, the Memphis Grizzlies rose as high as the No. 11 pick to select Washington State star Cedric Coward. Advertisement In order to do so, they initially traded their No. 16 pick, a 2028 first-round pick (via Orlando Magic), and two second-round picks to land their man. The Grizzlies were not done there, and they also took Javon Small with their No.48 pick and landed Jahmai Mashack with the No. 59 pick. On the other hand, the Portland Trail Blazers seemed content as well. They took on Chinese center Hansen Yang. General Manager Joe Cronin stated that the team had been tracking the Qingdao Eagles 'for years.' As we break down what both teams got out of this draft day trade, all eyes will be on Coward, who had initially commited to Duke for another year, but chose to remain in the draft pool. Grizzlies bet big on Cedric Coward The Grizzlies were always going to have a busy draft night. They had the No. 16, 48 and the 56 picks beforehand. However, they bet big on Cedric Coward and moved considerable assets to reach up to the No. 11 pick. Advertisement Coward is a versatile wing who played only six games for Washington State last year after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury at the start of the season. Through six games, he was averaging 17.7 points and seven rebounds per game. This was an improvement from his previous year's 15.4 points and 6.7 rebounds per game for Eastern Washington. Coward is a two-way player and an efficient scorer with a solid jumper. However, it might be his qualities on the defensive end that convinced Memphis. Cedric is a gritty defender with a 7 feet 2.25 inches wingspan and a standing reach of 8 feet 10.00 inches. An athletic presence in the vein of a Desmond Bane, the Grizzlies might already view him as a potential replacement for a player they only recently sent to Magic. That also makes him a potentially ideal fit alongside the likes of Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson. However, while Memphis may develop him as a long-term star, his potential does not seem to explain the price they ended up paying. Advertisement The Grizzlies gave up a future first-round pick along with two second-rounders, which may in the future seem like a bad move. Alongside Coward, the Grizzlies also got combo guard Javon Small and Jahmai Mashack from the draft, two players who can be expected to act as rotational pieces immediately. Their draft strategy showed a commitment to surrounding their core with defensive-minded, versatile players. The Grizzlies clearly wanted to upgrade their perimeter length but may have given up too much to get there. Grade: B- Trail Blazers go for Hansen Yang, cash in on future picks Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports While the Grizzlies got what they wanted, it was not to say that the Trail Blazers were on the losing side of this deal. Their trade-down to the No. 16 pick got them multiple future picks. At the same time, they took on Hansen Yang, a player Joe Cronin claimed Portland had been scouting him since the under-18 level, per KGW8. Advertisement 'We've been scouting him deeply for almost two years now. We had a scout identify him during one of his under-18 events, and then we sent Mike (Schmitz) and Sergi (Oliva), our two assistant GMs, over to China that fall to scout him live,' Cronin said. Yang has played two seasons for the Eagles in the Chinese Basketball Association. Last season, the 7-foot-1 center averaged 16.6 points and 10.5 rebounds per game while scoring at an overall 58.6%. Already a Chinese International, Yang led the CBA in blocks last season and was largely not expected to be a first-round pick. The 20-year-old was not among the 24 players invited to the draft's green room. He joins a crowded frontcourt that already boasts of Deandre Ayton, Donovan Clingan, Robert Williams III, and Duop Reath. However, that may prove to be a blessing as he attempts to settle down in the NBA. Yang can easily prove to be a huge steal from the draft, something Portland will be hoping for. That, in addition to the second-round picks they got out of the deal means that the Trail Blazers might be better off after moving down to No. 16. Grade: A Related: Emotional reaction of Javon Small's grandpa to Grizzlies pick goes viral Related: Why Grizzlies see Giannis Antetokounmpo potential in Cedric Coward
