3 things to know about Grizzlies draft pick Jahmai Mashack, including his defensive pedigree

The Grizzlies went in-state for the final pick of the 2025 NBA Draft.

Memphis traded down from No. 56 to No. 59 and took Tennessee's Jahmai Mashack. He was the third draft pick for the Grizzlies, who took Cedric Coward in the first round and Javon Small earlier in the second round. General manager Zach Kleiman clearly prioritized defense with the selection of Mashack, who will likely begin his NBA career on a two-way contract.

Here are three things to know about Mashack.

Mashack is familiar to basketball fans in Tennessee

Mashack was the second Volunteers' player to be taken in the second round on June 26 after Chaz Lanier went to the Pistons. While some Grizzlies fans will be excited about Mashack's motor and defensive versatility, there will be plenty of Memphians who rolled their eyes when they learned the Grizzlies were taking a Tennessee player.

And Mashack isn't just another Volunteer — he finished his career in Knoxville with the most NCAA tournament wins in program history.

Many fans wanted the Grizzlies to take former Volunteer Dalton Knecht in last year's draft, but Memphis went with Zach Edey instead. Now Mashack will team with Edey, the former Purdue star who eliminated the Volunteers from the 2024 NCAA tournament in the Elite Eight.

It hasn't been long since the Grizzlies took a Tennessee player in the draft. Memphis picked Kennedy Chandler in 2022, but he was waived after just one season.

Mashack is known for his defense

Anyone just looking at stats will be wondering why Mashack was even on the fringes of the draft. He averaged 6 points and 4.2 rebounds per game in his senior season, and those were the highest marks of his four-year career at Tennessee.

But the 6-foot-4-, 201-pound Mashack made his name on the defensive end of the floor. He was named to the SEC all-defensive team in 2024-25 and routinely drew the toughest defensive assignment on the floor. Mashack averaged 1.7 steals per game last season.

Mashack's role grew significantly during his time in Knoxville

A four-star recruit from Rancho Cucamonga, California, Mashack played only 4.6 minutes per game as a freshman. As a senior, though, he averaged 28.2 minutes per game and was one of the leaders of a Tennessee team that went to back-to-back Elite Eights.

He'll need to improve offensively but won't be expected to contribute right away for the Grizzlies.

Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at jonah.dylan@commercialappeal.com or on X @thejonahdylan.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: 3 things to know about Jahmai Mashack, the newest member of the Grizzlies