Pro Cougars: Jaylen Wells Will Be an Immediate Contributor for Contending Grizzlies

The former Washington State wing has real potential to help out a team that could compete for an NBA title.

Keenan Womack | Aug 21, 2024

Mar 21, 2024; Omaha, NE, USA; Washington State Cougars forward Jaylen Wells (0) shoots against Drake Bulldogs guard Atin Wright (10) in the second half in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at CHI Health Center Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports / Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

After a senior season at Washington State in which he averaged 12.2 points and shot 41.7% from three, wing Jaylen Wells is ready to make in impact with the Memphis Grizzlies as a rookie in the NBA.

Drafted 39th overall, the ninth pick of the second round, Wells has the potential to be a real steal, especially with the way he fits into the Memphis offense. At 6-foot-8, he has elite positional size for a wing player, especially one that can shoot the ball as efficiently as he does.

In his first and only season of Division-I basketball, after playing two years of Division-II at Sonoma State, Wells showed off real range by hitting 70 of the 167 threes he attempted, which helped him achieve a true shooting percentage of 55.1% for the season. Hitting 81% of his free-throw attempts proves that the shooting is no anomaly, especially when taking into account the fact that he shot over 42% from three at Sonoma State as well.

This ability to shoot forces opponents to close out on him from deep, for which he can make opposing defenders pay by attacking the rim off of the dribble. He hit 12 of his 24 runners at Washington State, which ranks him in the 86th percentile on such shots according to Synergy Sports.

He continued to show his scoring prowess during Summer League with the Grizzlies, scoring over 25 points in two games of the six in which he played. His most impressive performance was a 28-point outburst against the L.A. Clippers. Overall, he shot 40% from three in 5.0 attempts per game, similar to what he was able to do at the collegiate level.

As far as fitting in with the Grizzlies, Wells makes a lot of sense as a rotational player that can come and do some of the same things Desmond Bane can do. Having a player like Ja Morant that can create for others off of the bounce is obviously a major advantage, and Wells' presence could spread the floor and create lanes for drives and dump-off passes to Jaren Jackson Jr. and Zach Edey.

Wells will have a lot of chances to prove himself as a legit scoring wing.

Published Aug 21, 2024

KEENAN WOMACK

Keenan Womack is a sportswriter native to Dallas, Texas, who has spent the last 12 years in Austin, the home of his alma mater, the University of Texas. Keenan has covered sports for SB Nation, Bleacher Report, Rivals/Orangebloods, a host of his own sites and now, Fan Nation. Focusing on basketball, Keenan was on the beat for the Longhorns hoops team for the last two-and-a-half years before moving on to pursue other opportunities. He is married and lives with his wife close to the Moody Center, so they can continue to catch games together.