Former WVU Guard Javon Small Makes Loud Statement in Summer League

Jevon Carter, Miles McBride, Javon Small.

West Virginia has produced some quality NBA guards over the last decade, and while Carter and McBride have proven themselves, Small is still trying to earn his role with the Memphis Grizzlies.

Last night, he put on a show in Summer League action that will go a long way in gaining even more trust from the Memphis coaching staff and front office. Sure, it may be Summer League, but he did what good NBA players are supposed to do in this event — dominate.

Small led all scorers in the Grizzlies' 106-85 win over the Golden State Warriors, notching 26 points on 7/12 shooting, including a 5/8 night from beyond the arc. He also managed to dish out seven assists, pull down four rebounds, and register one steal.

Javon Small caps off his stellar night at NBA Summer League with the emphatic two-hand dunk ‼️

26 PTS I 7 AST I 2 BLK I 5 3PM I MEM W pic.twitter.com/qAtBTDA4vJ
— NBA (@NBA) July 15, 2026

“I just saw an open lane and my teammates have been saying I can’t dunk the ball, so it was an opportunity for me to dunk and I just dunked it," he told Grind City Media after the game on the highlight reel slam.

“I feel like I’ve been doing good (in Summer League)," he continued. "My shot wasn’t falling in the first few games. I’m a shooter, and at the end of the day, I’m going to keep shooting. But my focus is to get my teammates involved, make sure that the offense is ran and playing to our best ability.”

All Javon Small needs is an opportunity

Mar 27, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Cam Spencer (24) talks with guard Javon Small (10) during the third quarter against the Houston Rockets at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Small’s NBA career is off to a very similar start to that of Miles McBride‘s, who had to scrap, claw, and fight his way into the rotation with the New York Knicks. The one advantage that Small has is that he has played half of an NBA season already. He didn’t have to go down and spend a bunch of time in the G league as Deuce did early on.

With Ja Morant sidelined for much of last season, Small played more than the organization probably expected heading into the year and fared pretty well, averaging 9.7 points, 3.7 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game while shooting 46% from the field and 42% from three-point range. Now that Morant is in Portland, there is an opportunity for the former Mountaineer star to climb the depth chart. Veteran Ty Jerome is projected to be the team starter, while second-year man Walter Clayton Jr. will push for playing time and is someone they are very high on.

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