Killer Frogs

Frogs in the Pros: Desmond Bane And The Memphis Grizzlies Are Playoff Bound

The Former Horned Frog has had an incredible season breaking a couple of team records along the way
Barry Lewis|
© Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

This season, Desmond Bane has been putting on a show, and the fans in Memphis have been enjoying all of it. The Memphis Grizzlies won their division for the first time in franchise history with a record of 56-26. They will be the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoffs when they start on Saturday.

Sure, Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. are the two big names on this Grizzlies team, but Bane has undoubtedly played a part in the team’s success. Bane is playing in his second year in the NBA. He was drafted 30th overall in the 2020 draft, making him the highest draft pick of a TCU player since Kurt Thomas was drafted 10th overall in 1995 to the Miami Heat. He was the 18th former Horned Frog to be drafted into the NBA. ES

Bane has had a breakout season offensively and has set a couple of franchise records along the way. He is also expected to be a contender for the NBA’s Most Improved Player of the Year award.

In the 2006-07, Grizzlies star and fan-favorite Mike Miller set the franchise record for the most 3-pointers in a single season with 202. Over the years, the only ones that even came close to that number were Mike Conley (171 3-pointers, 2016-17 season) and Juan Carlos Navarro (156 3-pointers, 2007-08 season). Until Desmond Bane. On March 23, Bane surpassed the record set by Miller. He would finish the regular season with 228 3-pointers out of 523 attempts. That’s a 43.6% success rate, up slightly from 43.2% in his rookie season.

In addition to his 3-point play, Bane’s free throw shooting percentage improved from 81.6% in his rookie season to 90.3% this season. The 90.4% mark is the highest in Grizzlies history. Bane surpassed O.J. Mayo’s set in the 2008-09 season.

The Grizzlies had three players named to ESPN’s NBA Top 25 Under 25 list, Morant (#3), Bane (#17), and Jackson Jr. (25th). Memphis finished the regular season with 56 regular-season wins, which tied the team record set initially in the 2012-13 season. The future is bright for the Memphis Grizzlies, in part to Bane. The team will host the Minnesota Timberwolves starting Saturday.

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Published
Barry Lewis
BARRY LEWIS

Barry is the managing editor/publisher of TCU Horned Frogs On SI and oversees a team of 15+ writers, photographers, and podcasters covering all 22 of TCU’s sports. He writes on football, basketball (men’s and women’s), baseball, men’s tennis, and other sports as needed. His weekly articles include Big 12 Power Rankings and Poll Watching during the football, basketball, and baseball seasons. He is a frequent guest on one of the many podcasts that TCU Horned Frogs On SI writers host covering football, baseball, basketball, and other sports. Barry is a member of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA), and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA). He has represented TCU Horned Frogs On SI at the 2022 Fiesta Bowl, the 2023 College Football National Championship, the 2023 College World Series, the 2024 NCAA Men’s Tennis National Championship, Big 12 Football Media Days, and Big 12 Basketball Media Days. Barry has followed TCU sports since the Jim Wacker days. He is an avid sports fan and traveler, and he loves any opportunity to see a sporting event in person. He has been to 18 of the 30 MLB ballparks, experienced game day at 25 college football stadiums, seen 21 NFL stadiums, and been to 16 bowl games.

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