It’s been a splashy week for Memphis Grizzlies rookies. First it was Zach Edey dominating in his NBA Summer League debut, posting a 14 point, 15 rebound double-double with the game-tying tip-in.
Then on Tuesday the headlines belonged to second round pick Jaylen Wells out of Washington State, who had a game-high 27 points including the game winning floater to secure a win for Memphis over the Philadelphia 76ers.
Wells may have had the bigger statline, but fellow second round pick Cam Spencer may have had the more impressive performance. Spencer, who helped bring a second straight national championship to UConn last season after playing the previous year at Rutgers, dropped 18 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds in about 35 minutes of action.
He shot 7-14 from the field and 3-7 from deep, with one steal and just one turnover on the night.
Spencer signed a two-way deal with Memphis on Monday in a move that already looks promising for the Grizzlies – who used this draft to add NBA-ready talent to a team hoping to compete right away with a fully healthy Ja Morant in the mix.
Edey is expected to start at the center position, while Wells has the size and outside shooting ability to be a rotation player right away. Spencer is a lights out shooter who will get a chance to contribute as a rookie right away as well.
It’s not hard to imagine Spencer’s intensity, scoring ability, winning mentality and experience leading him to a role as a floor spacer and hard-nosed energy guy for this Grizzlies team in Year 1, potentially giving them a trio of contributors out of what was widely considered a weak draft class.