Former Vol finds his new NBA home but runs into one of Tennessee's arch enemies of March Madness past
Former Tennessee Vols guard Jahmai Mashack heard his name called late in the 2026 NBA Draft. As in, the very end of it. Mashack was selected with the final pick of the draft – 59th overall in the second round – by the Houston Rockets. The pick was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies, meaning the […]
Former Tennessee Vols guard Jahmai Mashack heard his name called late in the 2026 NBA Draft. As in, the very end of it.
Mashack was selected with the final pick of the draft – 59th overall in the second round – by the Houston Rockets. The pick was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies, meaning the former Vol will remain in the Volunteer State to play his professional ball.
Mashack joins a Memphis Grizzlies team that some may recall drew a bit of scrutiny last season during the 2024 NBA Draft. That's because the Grizzlies selected former Purdue center and Vol nemesis Zach Edey with the 9th overall pick with Dalton Knecht still on the board. Knecht would eventually go on to be selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 17th overall pick.
Edey, who finished his rookie season with 9.3 points per game and 8.3 rebounds per game on 21.5 minutes per game, is a player who just about every Vol fan knows and cringes when hearing his name (or provides some other reaction). While the former first-team All-American and Naismith player of the year posted 40 points and 16 rebounds, it was the constant whistles and uneven level of contact allowed that irked fans throughout their Elite Eight matchup, which went Purdue's way 72-66.
Now, they'll be teammates on the other end of the state, where Mashack will be looking to pair his elite defensive skills that earned him being drafted with a developing offensive ability. We'll see if he can manage to land a spot on the Grizzlies roster to start next season.
Chaz Lanier heading north to join another former Tennessee Vols standout on rising team in the Eastern Conference
The VFL landed in a solid situation on Thursday night
