It was just two short months ago that an anonymous scour released his opinion on the Memphis Grizzlies and how they are closer to contention than many may believe. That anonymous scour had this to say in an interview with heavy.com.

"Team to watch: Grizzlies. Western Conference scout says, “They are a point guard away. They loaded up on size, they are just going to hammer you with big guys. I love what Cam Boozer brings, they got some toughness with (Quinten) Post and (Isaiah) Stewart. You’ve still got (Zach) Edey. They just need that point guard to tie it all together. I thought they should have tried to get that in the draft, but they made size their priority.”

Sean Deveney and Anonymous NBA Scout

And their current point guard, might have proved in one night that he is the man for that job.

This was one of the most impressive nights of shot-making and creation by a point guard that we have witnessed in quite some time, and Jerome also accounted for 6 assists.

Coming into this season we were looking to see if Jerome could continue off of last seasons pace. In just 15 games during the 2025-26 regular season, Jerome averaged 19.7 points, 5.7 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals.

With Jerome only being 29 years old, a strong season could pay dividends for his financial future in the NBA, but also his long-term future in Memphis. Having a point guard with the ability to create for himself and others is still one of the most essential factors in a great team's success. Tyrese Haliburton, Jalen Brunson, Dylan Harper, and many more come to mind.

What Jerome did, was also historic, as the All City NBA podcast pointed out, Jerome had 40 direct on-ball picks, accumulating 1.52 points per direct.

The only other players in the tracking era to get 1.5+ PPD pick on that volume are: Luka, CP3, Trae, Brunson, Harden, FVV, Dame, & Reggie Jackson!

As head coach Tuomas Iisalo said Jerome is “an extremely high-level shooter”, and there's no telling how good he can be over a full 82 games.

While 45 points per night is obviously not sustainable, it is a sign for what Jerome's most improved player campaign will look like. Jerome's abilities are special, and he is the connector within this young Grizzlies team.

If Jerome can provide stability at the one, he will make the game easier for the young players around him and elevate the ceiling of this team. Ty Jerome will be an X-Factor in Memphis this season, and that was on full display in game 1.