{"id":150625,"date":"2025-07-21T13:37:58","date_gmt":"2025-07-21T17:37:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=150625"},"modified":"2025-07-21T13:37:58","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T17:37:58","slug":"grizzlies-javon-small-steals-the-show-in-nba-summer-league-finale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/07\/21\/grizzlies-javon-small-steals-the-show-in-nba-summer-league-finale\/","title":{"rendered":"Grizzlies Rookie Steals the Show in NBA Summer League Finale"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

The Memphis Grizzlies <\/a>wrapped up the NBA Summer League play in dominant fashion with a 105-82 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. But the real headline wasn\u2019t the score\u2014it was a breakout performance from a second-round rookie who may be turning heads inside the Grizzlies organization, Javon Small<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

Small, the No. 48 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, finished the game with 17 points and nine assists. For a player who missed the start of Las Vegas NBA Summer League<\/a> with a groin injury, the finale couldn\u2019t have gone much better.<\/p>\r\n

\"\"
Mar 12, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers guard Javon Small (7) drives to the basket around Colorado Buffaloes guard Felix Kossaras (15) during the first half at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n

Grizzlies Rookie Steals the Show in Summer League Finale<\/h2>\r\n

Who Is Javon Small?<\/h3>\r\n

If you\u2019re just now learning the name, you\u2019re not alone. A 6-foot-1 guard from South Bend, Indiana, Small took a unique journey through college basketball\u2014playing at East Carolina, Oklahoma State, and finally West Virginia, where he exploded as a senior. Small averaged 18.6 points, 5.6 assists, and shot 88% from the line, earning All-Big 12 First Team honors. Despite his resume, Small flew under the radar during the pre-draft process. But that underdog edge is something Memphis has historically embraced\u2014and it\u2019s already showing.<\/p>\r\n

What Stood Out<\/h3>\r\n

Small didn\u2019t just rack up numbers\u2014he controlled the game. His highlight moment came at the end of the first quarter. He made a behind-the-back dribble in full stride, and sliced to the rim for a buzzer-beating layup. The move wasn\u2019t just flashy; it showcased his balance, pace, and feel.<\/p>\r\n

He also connected on three three-pointers and consistently initiated offense for others, a critical skill for a team looking to reinforce its backcourt depth. With GG Jackson<\/a>, Cam Spencer<\/a>, and others sitting out, Small made the most of his extended run and likely earned himself a longer look from the Memphis Grizzlies coaching staff.<\/p>\r\n

Small Signs Two-Way Deal with Memphis<\/h3>\r\n

Earlier this month, Memphis signed Small to a two-way contract, allowing him to split time between the NBA roster and the Memphis Hustle, the team\u2019s NBA G League affiliate. This setup is ideal for a player like Small\u2014he\u2019ll receive top-tier NBA coaching while also logging meaningful developmental minutes. It\u2019s the same formula Memphis has used to develop players like Desmond Bane<\/a>, GG Jackson, Scotty Pippen Jr.<\/a>, and Vince Williams Jr.<\/a> into full-time contributors. And based on what we saw Sunday, Small might be the next name to watch.<\/p>\r\n

What\u2019s Next for Small and the Grizzlies?<\/h3>\r\n

The Grizzlies are in a transitional period, reshaping their identity following a turbulent 2024-25 season. With Ja Morant<\/a> expected to return healthy and a wave of new talent entering the fold, Memphis is placing a strong emphasis on development and culture. That makes Small\u2019s emergence all the more important.<\/p>\r\n

Small\u2019s breakout performance wasn\u2019t just a feel-good NBA Summer League moment\u2014it was a statement. For a Grizzlies team focused on development and culture, Javon Small offers the kind of upside that fits their mold. If Sunday was any indication, Memphis may have uncovered another diamond in the rough. Keep an eye on him.<\/p>\r\n

Photo credit: \u00a9 Raj Mehta-Imagn Images<\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Memphis Grizzlies wrapped up the NBA Summer League play in dominant fashion with a 105-82 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. But the real headline wasn\u2019t the score\u2014it was a breakout performance from a second-round rookie who may be turning heads inside the Grizzlies organization, Javon Small. Small, the No. 48 pick […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5586,"featured_media":151411,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1608,32,62,3],"tags":[50198,1224,854],"class_list":["post-150625","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-basketball","category-grizzlies","category-nba","category-news","tag-javon-small","tag-nba-summer-league","tag-west-virginia-mountaineers"],"modified_by":"Kenny Kluska","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150625","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5586"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=150625"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150625\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":151412,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150625\/revisions\/151412"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/151411"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=150625"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=150625"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=150625"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}