Memphis Grizzlies: Brandon Clarke’s impressive SL debut proves he will be a vital piece to the rebuild
By Quinn Allen
Brandon Clarke’s performance in the NBA Summer League proves that he will be a vital piece to the Memphis Grizzlies’ rebuild
Although he didn’t join the Memphis Grizzlies summer league team until July 6th, Brandon Clarke made his presence immediately felt in his professional debut.
A standout at Gonzaga who spent time at San Jose State previously before moving to Spokane, the Canadian-born big man averaged 14.7 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks during six Summer League games. Clarke was selected 21st overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder in last month’s draft but was immediately traded to Memphis, giving them another exciting young player alongside Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.
It’s safe to say that no one expected Clarke to show out like this in the Summer League, so it’s definitely a pleasant surprise. Obviously, the competition isn’t very close to what it’ll be like in the NBA, but the fact that Clarke could consistently put up numbers is definitely a huge positive for himself, and the Grizzlies organization.
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Clarke showed his versatile skillsets throughout the Summer League, shooting 55 percent from the field and 56 percent from 3-point range. The 6-foot-7 power forward is very athletic and has shown the ability to play off the pick and roll extremely well, getting to the rim in a hurry and throwing down aggressive dunks.
Although he shot just 28 percent from downtown in college, it was evident in summer league that he’s been working on his perimeter shooting. In today’s game, it’s such an added benefit having a 3-point shot especially as a power forward like Clarke.
Defensively, he was a monster in the paint, swatting opponents regularly with 1.8 blocks per contest. His fantastic vertical is a huge reason he’s able to rise above the rim and convert dunks and deny opponents.
Skillset should play well in NBA
Clarke was expected to be drafted higher than 21st overall after an impressive junior season with the Zags, but he ended up falling which resulted in Memphis being able to snatch him up. Boy, I’m sure they’re glad they did. His pure strength and ability to finish at the rim consistently should translate over to the NBA very well.
Like some players who come out of the draft who need to usually put on some weight, for Clarke, that isn’t the case. He’s already 6-foot-7, 210 pounds of solid, lean muscle. He doesn’t have great length, but Clarke makes up for it with his leaping abilities and quickness in the paint. The 22-year-old should definitely be able to hold his own in the association.
Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jonas Valunciunas will likely be the starting duo at power forward and center, so Clarke will feature mostly off the bench. But he should still get a healthy amount of minutes and make his mark in the league. It may take him a little bit of time to put up consistent numbers, but with time, Clarke could definitely turn into a solid NBA player.
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With exclusive company such as Blake Griffin, John Wall, and Valunciunas winning summer league MVP in previous years, Clarke has already made himself a name before even playing in the NBA. He proved to many people over this last couple of weeks that he should have been a higher pick in the draft. But it’s clear he took that frustration, and let his talent do the talking on the court.
It will be very interesting to see how Brandon Clarke fares in the league this season.