Memphis Grizzlies guard Ty Jerome feels he's on his way to building the reputation he wants as a basketball player.
If there's one thing Memphis Grizzlies guard Ty Jerome has shown over the last couple of seasons, it's that he's always a candidate to improve his game.
He changed the trajectory of his career with a big 2024-25 season in which he was a Sixth Man of the Year candidate, then he came over to Memphis and showed signs of another leap despite seeing limited action due to injury.
Jerome is always looking to get better, and that's a key part of how he wants to be remembered as a basketball player.
"I think it's the reputation I'm starting to build now of just the person that continues to get better and it's like, 'Okay, how did he do that?'" Jerome said during a podcast appearance when asked how he wants to be remembered as a player. "And then it's, 'Okay, wow, how did he do that?' And then, 'How did he do that?' And just someone that continues to get better every single year, and like I said, you look up at the end and are just finally like, 'Wow.'"
Jerome has bounced around a lot in the NBA. Originally the No. 24 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, he has played for five teams in seven years.
After averaging 7.0 points, 1.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game over his first five NBA seasons, he flipped a switch in the 2024-25 season with the Cleveland Cavaliers. They trusted him to lead their second unit, and the returns were great, as he averaged 12.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. He shot a whopping 51.6 percent from the field and 43.9 percent from deep and finished third in Sixth Man of the Year voting.
In the 2025 offseason, he signed with the Grizzlies, who saw flashes of brilliance from him in his debut campaign with the team. Unfortunately, he was limited to just 15 appearances due to injury. But when he was on the floor, he averaged 19.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists per contest on strong efficiency, quelling any concerns that his success with the Cavs was a flash in the pan.
Now, he just needs to stay on the floor and remain productive in the 2026-27 campaign. Doing so would give Memphis a major lift in the backcourt and improve the team's chances of seeing the postseason in any form, which may be a long shot but is something that Jerome and company appear to be eyeing.
The Grizzlies are going to have a new look this season after making several offseason additions and moving on from a couple of players, including star guard Ja Morant. The presence of Jerome on a nightly basis will also provide some new flair after last season didn't go as planned for him from an availability perspective.
The journeyman is still in his 20s (he will turn 30 next offseason), so he should have some strong years ahead of him at the NBA level. The best may be yet to come for Jerome, who has a chance to be remembered as a nice success story when all is said and done.
