MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WREG) — The Grizzlies will welcome four new players home from the draft, and even though they may be Grizz NextGen, they’re already embodying the “grit and grind” mentality.
Memphis native Kennedy Chandler, Jake LaRavia, Vince Williams Jr. and Mountain West Player of the Year David Roddy all say they share the same mindset of Ja Morant and this Grizzlies team.
“They just got that that kind of factor to their game,” said Jake LaRavia. ” thought this was the best spot for me. You know, I think I’m going to fit right in.”
For LaRavia, the No. 19 overall pick, who averaged nearly 15 points, 6.6 rebounds for Wake Forest last season and the rest of the Grizzlies’ 2022 draft class, it’s no different.
“You know, the grit and grind I feel like is in me just by watching the Grizzlies all my entire life and just knowing that and watching the team from last year, that’s what they symbolize themselves as,” said Grizzlies No. 38 pick and Memphis native Kennedy Chandler.
“It seems like the city’s crazy over the basketball team,” said Vince Williams Jr., another Grizzlies second round pick. “I feel like I had that at VCU, too. So, I feel this is a basketball nature, culture is good. So I feel like I would fit in right perfect.”
“Just super competitors everywhere, people who hate losing and always want to push each other,” Roddy said. “I think that’s something that I love and that’s really what drives me to play the game of basketball is to compete.”
Following the NBA Draft, Grizzlies General Manager Zach Kleiman said his excitement level was at a high. This Grizzlies front office was able to acquire the players they truly wanted.
“Everything has a plan and meaning behind it,” said Kleiman. “It can be case by case and trying to operate, you know, where we want to get to. And, we had a plan going into the night. Where we felt like all of the individuals who are sitting up here would be very significant additions to the group. And we’re more than excited that we were able to go out and acquire them.”
Grizzlies Coach Taylor Jenkins said the stats jumped off the charts for the four newcomers, but of course, in Grizzlies fashion, it was what is behind the athlete that really stood out for them.
“I led off with the care factor that these guys have to want to compete at the highest level,” Jenkins said. “They’re hard workers as well. When you sit down with them, get to know about them and you kind of strip back the basketball player piece and you just understand who they are as people. That’s one of the biggest things that we talk about, who we want to add to our organization all for these guys you know, just jump off the charts when it comes to that.”
We’ll get to see the rookies in action during NBA Summer League starting July 5 in Utah.