An NBA journeyman has turned out to be a regular rotational player for the Memphis Grizzlies. After the 2023-24 season, any layman could spot the Grizzlies’ need for some help in their big-man department. After being passed around among three teams in the last couple of years, Jay Huff may have finally found his place. Raining down on his former NBA side, the hooper scored 18 points in the game against the Orlando Magic. His career-best record feels like a poetic affair that it came against his former team.

After trading away an injured Steven Adams, the Grizzlies needed to make significant adjustments during the offseason. As a result, they chose Zach Edey with their 9th overall pick in the NBA Draft and signed Jay Huff to a two-way contract.

Jaren Jackson Jr. had excelled with the Grizzlies, but he is more suited to the power forward role than to playing center. While Zach Edey could have been a straightforward answer to this need, Huff has emerged as an unexpected answer to their problem.

But before the Grizzlies, he played with the Magic in the 2k25 Summer League in Las Vegas. The former Virginia Cavalier established himself, averaging 16.8 points per game. Jay Huff displayed impressive shooting accuracy, hitting 62.1% from the floor and 35.7% from beyond the arc, along with securing 5 rebounds per game across 5 matches.

“It’s been all over the place. We moved around a lot. It’s been fun. I’ve enjoyed all the places I’ve been. I’d love to stick around here. Memphis has been great. Organization and the city, it would be nice to stick here this year,” Huff said about the Grizzlies.

Jay Huff’s journey to the NBA

James Matthew Huff’s father, Mike Huff, was a basketball coach for Voyager Academy at Durham. He played under his dad and in 2016 became the school’s all-team leading top scorer, even leading them to a state Championship. “We’ve talked about me coaching him and him playing for me since he was a little kid,” Mike said before the state championship final. “The opportunity to do that has been a dream come true. To finalize that with an appearance in the state championship game, it can’t get any better than that.”

He was rated as a 4-star prospect and committed to playing for Virginia. He was 6 foot 11 and almost 200 pounds when arrived for his freshman year. But just a year later, he was 7 foot 1 and 230 pounds. Apparently, he had permission from his conditioning coach to eat anything in sight. So he devoured pizza after pizza, fries, shakes, and burgers.

In his sophomore year, he averaged only 8.8 minutes, 3.4 points, and 1.9 rebounds per game. Limited playing time was largely because of defensive issues, which is common for big men adjusting to the pack line defense, adapting to the physicality of college basketball.

In his junior year, Jay Huff’s numbers improved, the hooper averaged 8.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game, all of which were career-highs, along with an impressive shooting percentage of 71% from the field and 64% from beyond the arc.

In conference play, Jay converted 15 of his 18 shot attempts and reached double figures in scoring twice. He declared for the 2020 NBA draft but later pulled out after thinking over his decision and returned for his senior season.

Huff makes it to the NBA, but can he find a regular roster spot in the Grizzlies, who also need to prove themselves?

Huff went undrafted in the 2021 NBA draft but latched onto the Washington Wizards for the 2021 NBA Summer League. In September 2021, he signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Wizards, but the team waived him just a month later. He then signed a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, but the team waived him again after three months.

But proving his mettle in the G-League, taking home the Defensive Player of the Year award, opened up Jay Huff’s doors again. Eventually, he signed a two-way contract with the Grizzlies for the 2024-25 season.

He’s participated in 31 regular season games as a reserve for the LA Lakers, Washington Wizards, and Denver Nuggets (barring his Grizzlies numbers in the fresh season). He has recorded averages of 2.4 points and 1.2 rebounds in 5.3 minutes of play, showcasing shooting percentages of 55.8% from the field, 39.1% from beyond the arc, and 94.4% from the free-throw line.

The preseason has indicated that Jay Huff has the potential to become a consistent player for the Memphis Grizzlies. As a Center, we saw in the preseason he can protect the rim and his rebounding is not too bad either. Nevertheless, his most significant impact has come from the hooper’s ability to stretch the floor offensively with his outside shooting. This is particularly important for Ja Morant and Co., as the paint often becomes congested; a center who can step outside could be crucial in breaking down an opponent’s defense.