Without a doubt, the Memphis Grizzlies are currently going through one of their toughest stretches of the season as the first half of the 2023-2024 NBA campaign is nearing the All-Star Break. Sunday’s game in Boston resulted in a 40-point loss and the Grizzlies fifth straight defeat in a row. A big factor in that loss was the Grizzlies list of injuries reaching what may be its peak this season, as 13 of the 15 Grizzlies that are currently on the active roster were out with ailments. While this stretch of play is not all that surprising considering how unlucky the Grizzlies have been this season with injuries, it also is likely not that fun to endure for the roster or franchise.
And yet in this nightmare of a season, there have clearly been a few bright spots for the present and future. The play of GG Jackson and Vince Williams Jr. has hopefully identified a few options that can help improve the productivity on the wings for the Grizzlies in future years. Their development will be a key storyline to follow as the season progresses. But another player has also made the most of his opportunity this season, and currently is having the best success of his career. And while Jacob Gilyard may not be in the long-term plans for the Grizzlies, he currently is among the best players they have available.
There are a few reasons that Gilyard may be more known among the basketball community than some may realize. For one, he is the all-time leader in career steals in NCAA history. Secondly, he is the shortest player to have played in the NBA in each of the past two seasons (Markquis Nowell is of similar height but only played this season.) That feat is impressive enough within itself considering how the NBA seems to feature bigger players year by year. But unlike last year in which he only played one game, Gilyard has filled a relevant and needed role for the Grizzlies at the point guard position this year.
And for that reason, Gilyard should now be known for his success this season than his stature.
Through 33 games played this year, Gilyard has started in 12 contests. This is mainly due to how much the Grizzlies point guard position has been impacted by injuries to names such as Ja Morant, Marcus Smart, Desmond Bane, Derrick Rose, and Luke Kennard. Overall, Gilyard has played in nearly 600 minutes of game action this season in various roles, filling a far bigger need for the Grizzlies this season than anyone could have anticipated.
When he has been on the court, Gilyard has provided good individual production in multiple ways. He currently has 114 assists to 22 turnovers, an assist to turnover ratio of better than 5 to 1. In fact, among players who have averaged 15 minutes per game while playing at least 30 games this season, only Tyus Jones, Chris Paul, and Mike Conley have better AST/TO marks. While certainly not on the same level as Jones when it comes to production, Gilyard does offer a somewhat similar steadiness when it comes to smart decision-making and playmaking. It has resulted in some impressive stretches of play for both Gilyard and Memphis at times this season.
Beyond his traditional point guard play, Gilyard has also proven to be a valuable shooter. Likely due to his stature, over 80% of Gilyard’s shots this year have been beyond the arc. However, he has done well with those looks, shooting 42.6% from three this season. The only Grizzlies player currently shooting better than that from three this season is Luke Kennard, and Gilyard is 21-41 on three point attempts over his past 11 games. This includes eight made threes over the past two games, a big reason Gilyard scored 10+ points in consecutive games for the first time in his career.
When adding Gilyard’s efficiency as a playmaker and shooter to his ability to generate steals, the multiple ways in which he adds value begins to show. In fact, Gilyard is the only player in the NBA this season with an assist rate above 25% and a steal rate above 2% while shooting 40% from 3 ( minimum 500 minutes played and 100 3s attempted.) In a season where not much has gone as expected for the Grizzlies, Gilyard has been one of the few sources to offer more than what was expected on many occasions.
And while Gilyard has had some memorable moments this year, Friday night against the Warriors may have been the best moment of all. Not only did Gilyard set a new career high for points (16) and made 3s (5), he created a lasting memory for a lifetime by denying the greatest shooter in NBA History:
While Gilyard’s play this season has been impressive on many occasions, it remains to be seen what that means for his future. Overall, the limitations that come with his size do show up at times. Furthermore, the Grizzlies have already signed Scotty Pippen Jr. as a two-way player for both this season and next, and he himself has been impressive in is short time with Memphis. It seems natural to assume that could mean Pippen Jr. will replace Gilyard moving forward as point guard depth for the Grizzlies.
But in a season where it is fair to say wins and losses currently do not matter, it seems players making the most of their situations are providing the sources of positivity this season needs. And like he has done for multiple years with the Hustle, that is exactly what Gilyard is now doing with the Grizzlies. Whether it be filling various roles as a reserve or starter, providing needed playmaking and shooting, or helping in the development of his teammates, Gilyard just keeps getting it done no matter the role he is asked to fill.
And for both the Grizzlies franchise and fan base, it has been fun to witness in a not so fun season.