Cavaliers Now

UVA Basketball Alum Jay Huff Drops Career-High 18 Points vs. Magic

Matt Newton

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For those who follow the National Basketball Association, get to know the name Jay Huff, as he has finally arrived.

After spending the first three years of his professional career stranded in the G League and consistently dominating that level of basketball but getting no opportunities to prove himself in the NBA, it appears Jay Huff's breakthrough moment is here at last. The former Virginia basketball center has been one of the biggest breakout stories of the first week of the NBA season, most recently scoring a career-high 18 points to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 124-111 victory over the Orlando Magic on Saturday.

Through just three games, Huff has already put together an impressive package of highlights that include an array of smooth three-point jumpers and some flashy, if sometimes unnecessary reverse dunks.

Huff is so far averaging 13.0 points and 3.3 rebounds per game and is shooting a crisp 57.1% from beyond the arc for the 2-1 Grizzlies, who still have Huff on a two-way contract. But if he continues to play like this, a standard NBA deal should be coming Jay Huff's way, the first of his career.

Huff isn't the only former UVA basketball star who is having a strong start to the year.

Ty Jerome has been providing a high level of backup point guard production for the undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers. He recorded 14 points, three assists, two rebounds, and a steal on Saturday as the Cavs beat the Wizards 135-116 to improve to 3-0. That came one day after he posted 13 points, four assists, two rebounds, and a steal to lead Cleveland past the Detroit Pistons on Friday night.

So far this season, Jerome has scored 14, 13, and 14 points as Cleveland is off to a strong 3-0 start.

In his third game in the NBA, Phoenix Suns rookie Ryan Dunn got his first-career start on Saturday and he cashed in on that opportunity by recording 13 points, his first double-digit scoring effort, to go along with one rebound and one assist to help the Suns knock off the reigning Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks 114-102. Dunn shot 3/6 from beyond the arc and 5/8 from the floor and was +14 in 21 minutes played.

For the season, Dunn is averaging 8.0 points per game and shooting 46.2% from three-point range, which is mind-boggling considering the way he struggled with perimeter shooting in his college days at Virginia.

Dunn also had nine points, shot 3/5 from three, and recorded three rebounds, one assist and a block on LeBron James on Friday night, though the Suns fell to the Los Angeles Lakers 123-116.

De'Andre Hunter had his best game of the young season, dropping 24 points, seven rebounds, and three assists to help the Atlanta Hawks hold off the Charlotte Hornets 125-120 on Friday night. He shot 7/14 from the floor, 2/6 from three, and a perfect 8/8 from the charity stripe.

Hunter and the Hawks will be back in action on Sunday, as they travel to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder in a battle of 2-0 teams.

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Matt Newton
MATT NEWTON

Matt launched Virginia Cavaliers On SI in August of 2021 and has since served as the site's publisher and managing editor, covering all 23 NCAA Division I sports teams at the University of Virginia. He is from Downingtown, Pennsylvania and graduated from UVA in May of 2021.