After wrapping up a storied career at Tennessee, VFL Jahmai Mashack was selected by the Memphis Grizzlies with the 59th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Mashack saw the first minutes of his rookie year back on Nov. 20 in a game against the Sacramento Kings in Memphis.
He also recorded his first in that game. Mashack tallied six points in his debut game by knocking down a pair of threes against the Kings.
He recalled the moment that he sank his first career NBA bucket during an interview with Chris Vernon of Grind City Media on Friday.
“I’m hearing people like, ‘Go Mashack!’ and I’m like, shoot, I’ve got Knoxville fans, Tennessee fans, alright, I’ve got to make sure I show out,” Mashack said in the interview. “So, I go into the game, and I’m ready. I think Ja (Morant) told me, he’s like, hey bro, you’re in. I’m like, oh shoot, alright man, let me get myself ready… They were hyping me up afterwards, I got the game ball, but when I got on the court, and I’m running up and down, it was like a sense of calmness because I’m like, bro, I deserve to be here, I’ve worked really hard to be on this court. Even if it’s not in the competitive sense, I’ve worked really hard to be on this court.”
It didn’t take long for Mashack to record his first basket, but there was a lot that went into the shot from range.
“I was calm. When I caught that first pass, though, I said oh shoot, I said oh please!” Mashack said with a laugh, emulating a shot with his hands. “And it felt good coming off, but you never know! Like, when you’re amped up, and it feels good, it’s usually an air ball. So it’s like, alright bro, this should go in. I’m like, alright cool. And then I had the next one, I’m like, oh yeah, I’m about to do my thing now… And, you know, it’s one of those things where you’ve got to trot back like you’re not trying and stuff, like, I do this bro. In my head, I’m like, thank you! Thank you! I got my first one! Thank you!”
The typed words tell the tale, but you’ve got to see and hear Mashack tell the story with his own emotion and humor to fully see the picture. It’s not hard to tell that the former Volunteer is soaking up every minute and enjoying the process as it happens.
.@JahmaiM story of his first NBA points 🤣@ChrisVernonShow | @Devin_Walker2 | @Jon_Roser pic.twitter.com/Dz1ULawb9C
— Grind City Media (@grindcitymedia) December 11, 2025
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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
The Grizzlies signed Mashack to a two-way contract in November, which provided depth to a team that had been struggling with injuries at the guard position. He’s only played in two games at the NBA level so far, but he’s been productive in the G-League with the Memphis Hustle. In six games, he tallied 7.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game.
During his senior year at Tennessee, Mashack was named the Field of 68 Defensive Player of the Year. He also averaged 6.0 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game while starting in all 38 contests. Tennessee fans won’t soon forget his buzzer-beater against Alabama in Knoxville last spring.
Mashack 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.
