Former Tennessee basketball defensive superstar Jahmai Mashack is getting his first crack at the NBA and is making the most of it so far. On Thursday night, in the Memphis Grizzlies’ 137-96 win over the Sacramento Kings, Mashack scored the first points of his NBA career. It came on a corner three that he buried in the fourth quarter.
Mashack finished the game with six points on 2-for-4 shooting from the field, all attempts coming from range. He also grabbed two defensive rebounds. This was good for a +1 plus/minus in his six minutes on the floor.
After the game, the Grizzlies gifted Mashack the game ball. According to a report from Damichael Cole, his teammate Jock Landale told fellow teammate John Konchar to secure the ball. Head coach Tuomas Iisalo gave the ball to Mashack in the locker room.
ICYMI: Jahmai Mashack knocked down a three for his first points in the NBA last night.
The former Tennessee standout finished with six points and two rebounds for the Grizzlies in the win.
— Rocky Top Insider (@rockytopinsider) November 21, 2025
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Before joining the Grizzlies in the NBA, Mashack appeared in five games in the G League, while producing 7.6 points, 5.4 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 3.4 steals per game.
Mashack played four seasons at Tennessee, where he became known as possibly the best defender in the country. As a senior, he was named the Field of 68 National Defensive Player of the Year for his efforts. He also averaged 6.0 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game while starting in all 38 contests.
He was a key part of back-to-back Elite Eight appearances, two of the three times the program has ever reached that point. While in Knoxville, UT went 109-36 and he played in the seventh-most games in program history (137). His nine appearances in NCAA Tournament wins are the most of any player at Tennessee, too.
