Last week’s NBA Draft put a final bow on the college careers of a number of storied Volunteer careers. The Memphis Grizzlies selected Tennessee guard Jahmai Mashack with the 59th and final pick of the 2025 NBA Draft and Mashack took to X (Twitter) Monday to pen his farewell to Vol nation.
“To the countless fans who have become a family, I THANK YOU!” Mashack wrote. “You welcomed me. You appreciated my heart. You respected my commitment. You allowed me to boldly share my faith. You have to the community WITH me. You encouraged me as I gave 110% of myself 100% of the time.”
Mashack averaged six points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 1.4 assists and 0.5 blocks per game in his senior season at Tennessee but his impact went far past the stat sheet.
The 6-foot-4 guard was one of the nation’s best defenders, earning SEC All-Defensive honors and finishing as a finalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year during his senior season. Mashack frequently locked down elite opposing guard and wing scorers. That defensive ability helped Mashack get on the court from early in his career as his offensive game continued to develop.
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Mashack helped lead Tennessee to its most successful four-year stretch in program history. The Vols were ranked in the AP Poll every week Mashack was at Tennessee while also winning the SEC Regular-Season and Tournament title once each, making three trips to the Elite Eight and another to the Sweet 16.
“THANK YOU for understanding ME,” Mashack wrote. “In basketball, playing hard is a SKILL. Being an elite, multi-positional player is a gift. And never missing a game in four years is a grace of God. You took this journey with me and together, along with my teammates, we won at a historic level.”
Mashack’s breakout performance came in his sophomore season when Tennessee upset No. 1 Alabama in Knoxville. The then sophomore guard locked down future SEC Player of the Year Brandon Miller as the Vols’ swamped the Crimson Tide. Two years later, Mashack had his most memorable moment in the orange and white, hitting a 35 footer to beat Alabama after he orchestrated an incredible comeback in the game’s final minute,
“And lastly, in the most fitting of ways, you were right there with me for another BUZZER BEATER, when my name was the last one called as the 59th pick in the 2025 NBA DRAFT!!” Mashack said.
The Fontana, California native isn’t heading west yet. Mashack stays in the Volunteer State to play for the Memphis Grizzlies to begin his college career.
One Response
.Mashack was a thrill to watch. We spent alot of money to different sport channels so we could watch our Vols for the last several years and have been to see ll 4 years of his playing for the Vols. I know there will be other games and great Vols to come butthe lat 4 years with team and Mashack, Zeigler, Lanier, Gainy,Phillips and many others will surely be one too remember! Especially the 35 ft shot from Mashack to beat Alabama which my grandson is a giant fan of…. BOY. IT SURE WAS GREAT TO POKE FUN AT HIM!!!!