#30 – Desmond Bane – Memphis Grizzlieson November 19, 2020 at 5:08 am

With the 30th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Memphis Grizzlies select Desmond Bane from TCU. The Grizzlies acquired the pick in a trade with the Boston Celtics.

Bane, a 43.3 percent shooter in his four years at TCU, is one of the draft’s best from distance. Comfortable as a spot-up shooter, off the dribble and coming off screens, Bane should immediately contribute to a Grizzlies team that ranked just 23rd in three-point shooting a season ago. Bane is willing to move with or without the ball and more often than not will see the right play and know when to make it.

Defensively, Bane’s fundamentals are strong and, for what he lacks in pure athleticism, he more than compensates for with his strength and quickness in his defensive stance. He isn’t going to be a game-breaker for Memphis, but he should be more than able to hold his own on every possession.

That lack of athleticism may limit his overall upside, but the Grizzlies, with the 30th pick, should be overjoyed that Bane fell into their lap. He should contribute almost immediately off the bench, despite the fact that the Grizzlies already had one of the highest-scoring benches in the NBA (41.1 points per game) last season.