GG Jackson, Vince Williams Jr., Jacob Gilyard two-way preview
The Memphis Hustle season starts today. What can be expected from the 2-way players — GG Jackson, Vince Williams, and Jacob Gilyard — in their development towards impacting winning for the Grizzlies?
The Memphis Hustle are kicking off their season today with a back-to-back today and tomorrow. Around this time, you’ll see players transferred to and from Southaven, developing with live game reps not present when glued to the bench. That’s an advantage of the team being roughly 20-30 minutes down I-55, and the collaboration between the Memphis Grizzlies and Memphis Hustle bolsters this edge in fostering a positive player development environment.
We’ve got a great partnership with our Hustle program. Having the facilities here, the arena right down the street. Our Hustle staff is with us 365 (days) so they get to build relationships with our players, with our coaches, as well as our performance staff. It’s a holistic approach to player development. I think it’s going to be another successful year. Jason March does a great job with his staff, and those three guys, he’s going to hold them to the same standard that we talk about every single day.
Taylor Jenkins
Throughout the season, young players at the end of the bench will likely go to and from the Hustle — Jake LaRavia and (possibly) Kenneth Lofton Jr. stand out here. The 3 main focal points of this Hustle squad will be its 3 two-way players: GG Jackson, Vince Williams Jr., and Jacob Gilyard.
Taylor Jenkins mentioned he’s had dialogue with them on their expectations in relation to their roles “to impact winning.” As the Memphis Hustle season is underway, what are the expectations for the two-way guys this year?
GG Jackson
“Preseason” assessment:
GG Jackson at the moment is a cautionary draft tale — a super talented top grassroots prospect that reclassified, landed at a school that was an unideal fit, and saw his draft stock plummet. In Memphis, he has the opportunity to grow under one of the best developmental systems over the past few years. Patience will be required — after all, he should be making his collegiate debut this year. He’s that young. The skills as a big shot-creating wing are there though.
Potential roles to impact winning:
Jackson’s scoring ability may be his ticket to opportunity to establish himself as a NBA player. His efficiency though will be how he secures playing time. There’s no denying his raw abilities as a scorer with his size, fluidity, and ball-handling. However, he’s struggled mightily with his shot selection, diminishing his prowess and upside as a shot creator.
In addition, the Grizzlies and Hustle want Jackson to develop his overall skillset as a 3-and-D+ wing. Some nights, Jason March will utilize Jackson as a play finisher and complementary shooter in order to foster growth towards a potential role on the main roster. In addition, the coaching staff may experiment with him being a “small big” as an athletic 6’9” forward, it’s not out of the realm of possibilities. He showed promise as a rebounder and help defender in Summer League and preseason.
GG Jackson has the tools to be a fascinating NBA player, and the Grizzlies and Hustle will be patient and calculated on his development towards his potential.
What I’m monitoring:
How creative are the Hustle in Jackson’s utilization? Jackson is a ball of clay of sorts. He has legitimate live-dribble juice and the athleticism to be a powerful play finisher as well. With his size, he has tools to work with defensively. It’ll be fascinating to monitor how March toggles between his usage — initiating, running actions for GG, and finishing plays as a roller or cutter. In addition, his role defensively could shift from on-ball assignments to rim roaming.
The G League is for development and experimentation, and it’s the perfect opportunity for GG Jackson to blossom into his potential.
Jacob Gilyard
“Preseason” assessment:
Jacob Gilyard has been in the rotation on the main roster the past 2 weeks, and it wouldn’t be surprising to stay in the fold as this team battles through injuries. He’s proving to be a solid floor manager that gets the team in their actions and finds his teammates in position to score. Last season, he led the G League in assists per game (9.8), while generating 1.9 steals per game (9th in the G). His production with the Hustle ultimately parlayed into a two-way deal with the Grizzlies, where he’s now showing value as an emergency backup point guard.
Potential roles to impact winning:
For Gilyard, it’s more of the same: run an efficient offense, hit outside shots when available, and offset physical limitations with feisty defensive activity. Crucial for player development, Gilyard has to run a smooth-sailing ship with the Hustle, operating the offense in a way that fosters positive player development.
What I’m monitoring:
Gilyard’s defensive activity is going to be an integral part in his development. Most assignments in the league will be perceived as a mismatch for the 5’9” Gilyard. However, how can he offset that? He could focus on pestering initiators with full-court pressure. He’s shown the ability to generate steals and deflections with his quick hands. Whether it’s with the Grizzlies or the Hustle, his defensive event creation elevates his ceiling and potential impact rather significantly.
Vince Williams Jr.
Preseason assessment:
Vince Williams Jr. is an intriguing wing prospect with his size (6’5”, 7’0” wingspan), defensive prowess, and energy. He flashed solid efficiency with the Hustle, but didn’t play a lot of games last season — 65.3/45.7/81 shooting splits in just 8 games. In Summer League, his value shined with his production — 13.8 points and 7.8 rebounds while making 11/25 (44%) of his 3’s. Last Friday, he played a role in the Grizzlies’ big runs against the Portland where he was a +15 in just 10 minutes.
Potential roles to impact winning:
Vince Williams’ path to impacting winning basketball will be in a 3-and-D energizer role. His outside jumper is the biggest swing here, as it hasn’t translated to NBA basketball — although in a limited sample. Nonetheless, his impact should still lie in what he excels in as a glue guy. His activity will be key — defensive stopping, event creation, and flying for rebounds and loose balls.
What I’m monitoring:
How much will Vince Williams be down with the Hustle? The Grizzlies are in dire need of their young wings to pop into a legitimate role player. They need a jolt off the bench, and some perimeter help to shore up with their woeful 3-point defense. Why not give Williams a try? There will surely be conversations about converting his contract from a two-way to a standard one next summer. Now is the perfect time to assess his main roster fit, right? The team is in a rut, so see what you have with a young wing with skills the team is lacking in right now — in a positional archetype of need, as well.
The Memphis Grizzlies have had success with their Hustle program. John Konchar has ascended from 2-way player to rotation player. Young guys like Xavier Tillman, Santi Aldama, and David Roddy have used the Hustle to accelerate their development towards impacting winning.
And that doesn’t even include the success stories around the league, as the league has more and more players with G League experience each year.
Could these 2-way players follow in their trajectory? Will someone on the main roster use the Hustle to build momentum towards playing time?
Time will tell. Nonetheless, the Grizzlies and Hustle have cultivated a system that benefits player development.
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