Former Orange Jerami Grant leads the Detroit Pistons in victory

Entering his ninth season in the league, Jerami Grant has taken a tremendous leap as he becomes the best player on the Pistons.

The former Syracuse forward led the Detroit Pistons to a 120-100 win in Miami last night with 24 points, 9 rebounds, 4 blocks, 6 assists, and 2 steals…whew.

Jerami Grant is amongst the early season favorites to win the Most Improved Player award in the NBA. Grant was a solid role player for the Denver Nuggets last season, averaging 12 points a contest on an efficient 48% shooting from inside the three-point arc and 39% outside, along with averaging 3.5 rebounds a game.

This season, Grant has doubled his averages of points and rebounds with 24.8 and 6.3, respectively. The 6-foot-8 forward is adding a block and a steal per game as well, something he fell just shy of doing it last season. Grant has doubled his averages all while replicating his efficiency from the floor from a season ago – he is currently shooting 46% from the field and 39% from long distance.

Although the Pistons currently carry the worst record of any team in the NBA, defeating the reigning Eastern Conference champions was a step in the right direction.

"I definitely think it was the most complete game we have played so far," Grant said of the Pistons 20 point blow out win over the Heat. 

Grant's play should be of no surprise to SU fans as his numbers drastically improved from his freshman year going into his sophomore season. The forward doubled his minutes and rebounds production, while tripling his scoring average (from four points a game to 12 as a sophomore).

From swatting a shot on one end, to taking the ball up the length of the court, weaving through traffic and finishing at the rim on the other end, Grant possesses a skill set reserved for a select few in the NBA. The versatile forward is show casing an all around game of basketball each night out on the floor. 

The Pistons will stay in the Sunshine State for a rematch against the Heat on Monday afternoon as Grant and company look to climb up the ladder in the standings. The game has a tipoff time set for 3 p.m. and will be broadcast on League Pass and Fox Sports.