Jaylen Wells: Breaking down his rookie year with the Memphis Grizzlies

Jaylen Wells was the 39th pick from the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft. He went to Sonoma State before playing small forward at Washington State University where he averaged 12.6 PPG/ 4.6 RPG/ 1.2 APG. He had 43.6% FG along with a 41.7% 3FG on 56.6% TS and played for 29.2 MPG.

He was selected by the Memphis Grizzlies and is currently averaging 10.4 PPG/ 3.4 RPG/ 1.7 APG. He has a 42.5% FG and 35.2% 3FG on 56% TS while playing 25.9 MPG.

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Wells has been playing an important role on his team with significant defense skills. He puts persistence and dedication on defense; he applies extreme pressure on opposing guards. He has a huge impact on star players that get guarded in the league. He shut down Curry on defense and held him to 2 points on 0-7 shooting.

He has a good basketball IQ and has a massive influence on the court. He is a catch and shoot threat: he is 42% on catch and shoot triples. He has a quick release allowing him to get shots off fast and effectively. The forward player also has good footwork to create splits from defenders.

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Jaylen Wells was named Western Conference Rookie of the month for games that took place between October and November. He was a part of the Grizzlies success at the start of the season. He guided them to a 13-7 record which was third in the West through the end of November.

He led Western Conference rookies in both scoring and starts, and was ranked second amongst all qualified rookies in FG% and 3FG%. He was placed fourth in MPG.

Wells scored in double figures 12 times, leading West rookies, and scored +20 points twice.

He became the first rookie in franchise history to record at least six threes and six assists in the same game.

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Jaylen Wells has a positive true shooting, field goal, three point, and offensive rebound percentage and this puts him to great use on the floor.

However, Wells had regressed in recent weeks, and hadn't reached the 15 point mark since March 1st. There were rising concerns that he might have hit his rookie wall for the season. Lately, he has had inconsistent shooting, even if he has shown to the league that he is a determined hardworking player that can produce offense and strong defense when at full strength and power. But all that happened before his recent injury, likely ending his season. He broke his right wrist on a hard fall during a game against the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night.

After a full recovery, Wells is very much seen to be a key player for the Memphis Grizzlies and certainly has a bright future in the NBA ahead of him. While the Grizzlies continue to build around their core, Wells is more than expected to play a major role in their success moving forward. With growth and experience, there is little to no doubt that Jaylen Wells will not only solidify his place in the NBA, but also become one of the league's stars.

Edited by Elsa Olano