OKC Thunder: Jerami Grants don’t grow on trees
By Reid Belew
OKC Thunder forward Jerami Grant isn’t a typical role player. Grant provides essential skills off the bench but is somehow often overlooked.
OKC Thunder fans love Jerami Grant. Many understand that he is a valuable player, but couldn’t articulate how or why. He simply is.
They understand that he is a “raw” talent who could be something huge, but some may lack knowing what those talents are.
He often quietly enters the game, does what is asked of him in his own characteristic and usually explosive way, then exits as if nothing happened.
He isn’t a very expressive player–we notice those players. They put the spotlight on themselves. It’s a shame Grant isn’t one for recognition, he deserves it. He’s a proper two-way, modern big whose talents aren’t appreciated enough.
Because Grant doesn’t put the spotlight on himself, I figure I’ll do it for him.
What does Grant offer?
Thank you for asking! The answer is: a lot.
Grants strengths show up in the stat sheet in the form of defense and efficient scoring. The numbers may surprise you.
Grant plays limited minutes. Though it might change this year, Grant is one of the first players off the bench for the Thunder.
Grant is humming right around 20 minutes a game for his career.
Last season for the Thunder, Grant averaged 8.4 points per game and 3.9 rebounds.
For the minutes he played, only 16 player seasons in NBA history have produced those numbers with more win shares than Grant.
I was shocked when I found this. See for yourself. This table shows every individual player season in NBA history where a player logged less than 21 minutes a game, and averaged more than 8 points and 3.5 rebounds. Those player seasons are sorted by win shares.
| Crit | Crit | Crit | Crit | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rk | Player | Season | Age | Tm | Lg | MP | PTS | TRB | WS |
| 1 | Enes Kanter | 2015-16 | 23 | OKC | NBA | 21.0 | 12.7 | 8.1 | 8.1 |
| 2 | Bill Cartwright | 1987-88 | 30 | NYK | NBA | 20.4 | 11.1 | 4.7 | 6.4 |
| 3 | Jim Fox | 1970-71 | 27 | CHI | NBA | 19.9 | 9.7 | 7.3 | 6.1 |
| 4 | Don Nelson | 1967-68 | 27 | BOS | NBA | 18.3 | 10.0 | 5.3 | 6.1 |
| 5 | Tom Owens | 1977-78 | 28 | POR | NBA | 20.9 | 10.1 | 6.6 | 6.0 |
| 6 | Sam Jones | 1959-60 | 26 | BOS | NBA | 20.4 | 11.9 | 5.1 | 5.9 |
| 7 | Mitch Kupchak | 1976-77 | 22 | WSB | NBA | 18.5 | 10.4 | 6.0 | 5.9 |
| 8 | Don Nelson | 1972-73 | 32 | BOS | NBA | 19.8 | 10.8 | 4.4 | 5.8 |
| 9 | Jamaal Magloire | 2001-02 | 23 | CHH | NBA | 18.9 | 8.5 | 5.6 | 5.7 |
| 10 | Nikola Mirotic | 2014-15 | 23 | CHI | NBA | 20.2 | 10.2 | 4.9 | 5.7 |
| 11 | James Donaldson | 1981-82 | 24 | SEA | NBA | 20.9 | 8.1 | 6.0 | 5.6 |
| 12 | Johnny Green | 1965-66 | 32 | TOT | NBA | 20.8 | 11.6 | 8.2 | 5.6 |
| 13 | Montrezl Harrell | 2017-18 | 24 | LAC | NBA | 17.0 | 11.0 | 4.0 | 5.5 |
| 14 | Steve Mix | 1979-80 | 32 | PHI | NBA | 19.0 | 11.6 | 3.6 | 5.5 |
| 15 | Steve Mix | 1980-81 | 33 | PHI | NBA | 18.4 | 10.8 | 3.7 | 5.5 |
| 16 | Jerami Grant | 2017-18 | 23 | OKC | NBA | 20.3 | 8.4 | 3.9 | 5.4 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 10/10/2018.
If I keep going with this and remove those players who didn’t’ average at least .9 blocks per game, I’m left with this:
| Crit | Crit | Crit | Crit | Crit | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rk | Player | Season | Age | Tm | Lg | MP | PTS | TRB | BLK | WS |
| 1 | Jamaal Magloire | 2001-02 | 23 | CHH | NBA | 18.9 | 8.5 | 5.6 | 1.0 | 5.7 |
| 2 | James Donaldson | 1981-82 | 24 | SEA | NBA | 20.9 | 8.1 | 6.0 | 1.7 | 5.6 |
| 3 | Jerami Grant | 2017-18 | 23 | OKC | NBA | 20.3 | 8.4 | 3.9 | 1.0 | 5.4 |
| 4 | Brandan Wright | 2013-14 | 26 | DAL | NBA | 18.6 | 9.1 | 4.2 | 0.9 | 5.1 |
| 5 | Vlade Divac | 1989-90 | 21 | LAL | NBA | 19.6 | 8.5 | 6.2 | 1.4 | 5.0 |
| 6 | JaVale McGee | 2012-13 | 25 | DEN | NBA | 18.1 | 9.1 | 4.8 | 2.0 | 4.9 |
| 7 | Robert Parish | 1976-77 | 23 | GSW | NBA | 18.0 | 9.1 | 7.1 | 1.2 | 4.8 |
| 8 | Stromile Swift | 2003-04 | 24 | MEM | NBA | 19.8 | 9.4 | 4.9 | 1.5 | 4.8 |
| 9 | Kevin McHale | 1980-81 | 23 | BOS | NBA | 20.1 | 10.0 | 4.4 | 1.8 | 4.7 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 10/10/2018.
For every individual player season in NBA history, where a player averaged no more than 21 minutes a game, and averaged more than 8 points a game and 3.5 rebounds, only 2 players have done that with more win shares value than Grant.
We have tight constraints on our search, of course.
But there are still only 42 players in NBA history who have averaged 8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and a block in under 21 minutes. Grant is packing in heavy doses of value under some big time restraints.