Why Virginia great Ty Jerome could have his best NBA season this year

Jerome could dominate now that he takes center stage for the Memphis Grizzlies

Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Bennett (L) and guard Ty Jerome (R) exit the court together. | Courtesy Virginia Athletics

Ty Jerome, a former Virginia Cavaliers star, is primed for the most playing time of his professional career. Even in a crowded Western Conference, Jerome could garner NBA All-Star votes this upcoming season. 

It has been a long road for Jerome to ascend to potential stardom. 

In his first five NBA seasons, Ty Jerome averaged more than 10 points per game once (2020-21). The former Virginia Cavalier burst onto the scene in 2024-25 — averaging 12.5 points, 3.4 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Jerome finished third in Sixth Man of the Year voting.

Cleveland did not re-sign its ascending bench scorer that offseason. Jerome ended up inking a three-year deal with the Memphis Grizzlies for $28 million.

Unfortunately for Jerome, he ended up battling injuries throughout his first season in Memphis. However, he started all 15 games he played in — averaging 19.7 points, 5.7 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game. Jerome made 42 percent of his three-point attempts, at a career-high average of 6.7 attempts per game.

The results on the court are promising. But the biggest reason why Jerome could have the best season of his NBA career is not because of what he brings to hardwood — it is the situation around him.

The Grizzlies traded former star guard Ja Morant to the Portland Trailblazers, officially ending the chapter led by Morant, Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr., and others. Memphis is effectively starting over. 

Morant would have been the biggest vulture of Jerome’s minutes. Now, Jerome is the most experienced combo guard on the entire roster — and he should be a full-time starter. It is a possibility that Memphis entertains trading Jerome (who is about to turn 29), but if Jerome is on the roster this season, he will probably play the most minutes of his NBA career.

The Grizzlies are in dire need of scoring. Their defense looks incredibly promising with Zach Edey, Cameron Boozer and Jerami Grant in the starting lineup, but there is no clear No. 1 scorer at the moment. Jerome actually averaged the most points per game of any player on this roster last season. 

On Memphis’ roster, Jerome and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (likely trade candidate) are the only guards who have played more than three NBA seasons. Collectively, Jerome, Caldwell-Pope and Grant are the only true veterans that the Grizzlies have. They will be relied upon as Memphis aims to rebuild and escape the basement of the Western Conference. 

The new NBA 3-2-1 Lottery system has penalized tanking — the teams with the three worst records have worse odds at top draft picks than the teams with the fourth through 10th-worst records. Any incentive of losing has been diminished. That bodes well for Jerome, as Memphis should seek to avoid a bottom-three placement in the NBA standings.

The Grizzlies roster could look very different by the time the season starts. NBA free agency has begun, and trades are possible — especially for valuable veterans like Caldwell-Pope and Grant. But at the moment, Jerome could very well emerge as an All-Star candidate and the top go-to scorer on an NBA team for the first time in his career.