October 12, 2024

Former Volunteer men’s basketball player Jarnell Stokes made his NBA debut this week for the Memphis Grizzlies.

According to ESPN, Stokes was called in midway through the fourth quarter on Monday in the Grizzlies’ big win over the Houston Rockets. He played 6 minutes, finishing with four points and two rebounds. The Memphis native received a huge ovation from the crowd at the FedEx Forum, especially when Stokes was matched up against Tarik Black, a former Memphis Tiger basketball player and fellow Memphian.

Stokes saw more playing time yesterday when the Grizzlies took on the Raptors in Toronto. He logged nine minutes and three rebounds, going 2-4 at the line with 1 made field goal.

When asked about his NBA appearances, Stokes told WBIR, “It felt very well to be able to get minutes today and just kind of get my feet wet. I’ve always been a fan of the Memphis Grizzlies and I know what it is like to be a fan to watch these games and look up to these players. So just to be able to play in front of these guys, it’s kind of storybook.”

The Grizzlies will host the Boston Celtics tomorrow at the FedEx Forum in downtown Memphis.

Edited by Will Lomas