NBA: Role Players who could become stars elsewhere

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NBA role players who could become stars elsewhere: 2. Desmond Bane

Fans of the popular Dunker Spot podcast have already been clued in to just how good Desmond Bane (mane!) has been so far to start his career. Drafted with the 30th overall pick in the 2020 draft due to playing a full college career, Bane has been everything the Memphis Grizzlies could have hoped for since coming into the league. However, in a different situation, he could be even more, and far more people would be made aware of his greatness.

Bane is the type of prospect that could shine when paired with a top-tier playoff-ready cast of stars around him. As a rookie, he shot 43.2 percent on 4.0 3-point attempts per game. Of all players attempting at least four such shots per game, that percentage ranked ninth in the league. He shot a higher percentage than Steph Curry, Zach LaVine and Khris Middleton (though Curry and LaVine attempted triple and double the attempts respectively). This season his efficiency (along with that of the league at large) has dipped with higher usage but it is still respectable (37.4 percent on 6.5 attempts per game).

It is not hard to imagine Bane playing the Joe Harris role on a title-contending team, though Bane would add a little more to that. He is an able defender and a high-IQ player that always seems to do the best for his team.