The Memphis Grizzlies announced Friday that they are signing four players before their training camp for the 2024-25 NBA season. Headlining the list is forward/center Armando Bacot, who played on the Utah Jazz’s Summer League roster. Bacot, former Japanese B. League MVP Yuki Kawamura, 27-year-old 2019 NBA draft pick Miye Oni, and short-term former Grizzlies Maozinha Pereira will all be fighting to make Memphis’ 2024-25 team roster.
Memphis Grizzlies Sign UNC F/C and 3 Others
@memgrizz Blessed and thankful for the opportunity
— Armando Bacot Jr. (@iget_buckets35) September 6, 2024
Armando Bacot’s College Career
Bacot was a legend at the University of North Carolina. During his five-year college career with UNC, he averaged 13.9 points, 10.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. He was voted Third-Team All-American last season and was a Second-Team All-ACC honoree. He also led the entire conference in rebounding.
The 24-year-old etched his name into the UNC record books during his time there. He is leaving the NCAA as the all-time leader for UNC in rebounds, offensive rebounds, and double-doubles and is second in scoring.
His best skill in college was his ability to grab offensive boards. The Grizzlies are known for their “Grit-and-Grind” mentality and hustle, which means Bacot’s best skill may be a perfect fit. He went undrafted in 2024 but was signed on an Exhibit 10 contract to join the summer league Utah Jazz roster.
Summer League Performance
Bacot had a decent summer league performance. Although he only played in four games between the Salt Lake City Summer League and the Las Vegas Summer League, his play earned him another NBA contract. Bacot averaged 7.2 points, five rebounds, over one steal, and one block in his Summer League outings. Although this performance doesn’t jump out on paper, Bacot showed the maturity and skills that could just maybe help a young team like the Grizzlies.
The Other Grizzlies Signings
Kawamura is not a physically imposing force at five-foot-eight. If he makes the Grizzlies’ roster, he will become the shortest player in the league. He went undrafted in 2023 but has been having a lot of success in the Japanese B League over the last few years. Kawamura averaged over 20 points per game on his Japanese team. He also represented Japan in the 2024 Paris Olympics and was vital in getting them a spot in the tournament.
Yuki Kawamura is a magician 🪄#AkatsukiJapan 🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/XMiUBTIYOU
— FIBA (@FIBA) August 30, 2024
Oni also comes from the Jazz development system and has the most NBA experience. He played 80 games over three seasons with the Jazz, who selected him with the 58th overall pick in 2019. Oni has also played for extended time in the NBA G League, and now, with this new contract, his NBA story continues.
Finally, Pereira is the most familiar name to Grizzlies fans of the four signings. As a rookie last year, he played seven contests for Memphis. He averaged over 17 minutes per game, scoring 6.9 points and grabbing 5.3 rebounds in his limited playing time. Pereira also got run time this summer, representing Brazil in the Olympics. He’ll look to sign more than just 10-day contracts this season.
