Memphis Grizzlies First Basket Stats 2025-26: Who Scores First
Jaylen Wells scored the Grizzlies’ first basket more than anyone in 2025-26: 14 times in 67 starts, or 21% of the games they started. Jaren Jackson Jr. was next with 11. The Grizzlies made the game’s first field goal in 44% of their 80 games and won 39% of their opening tipoffs. Everything below is counted from the play-by-play of every 2025-26 game (1,225 regular season, 85 playoffs, 6 play-in).
Who scored the first basket for the Grizzlies in 2025-26
First basket for team is the first field goal by any MEM player; first basket of game is the game’s first field goal by anyone. Rates are per game started.
| Player | Starts | First basket for MEM | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaylen Wells | 67 | 14 | 21% | 5 | 7% |
| Jaren Jackson Jr. | 43 | 11 | 26% | 4 | 9% |
| Cedric Coward | 45 | 10 | 22% | 5 | 11% |
| Ja Morant | 19 | 7 | 37% | 4 | 21% |
| Jock Landale | 24 | 6 | 25% | 2 | 8% |
| GG Jackson | 28 | 6 | 21% | 1 | 4% |
| Ty Jerome | 15 | 5 | 33% | 3 | 20% |
| Santi Aldama | 10 | 3 | 30% | 2 | 20% |
| Olivier-Maxence Prosper | 24 | 2 | 8% | 2 | 8% |
| Cam Spencer | 19 | 2 | 11% | 1 | 5% |
| Javon Small | 12 | 2 | 17% | 1 | 8% |
| Toby Okani | 4 | 2 | 50% | 0 | 0% |
| Zach Edey | 11 | 1 | 9% | 1 | 9% |
| Rayan Rupert | 8 | 1 | 12% | 1 | 12% |
| Scotty Pippen Jr. | 6 | 1 | 17% | 1 | 17% |
| Walter Clayton Jr. | 6 | 1 | 17% | 1 | 17% |
| Dariq Whitehead | 2 | 1 | 50% | 1 | 50% |
| Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | 14 | 1 | 7% | 0 | 0% |
| Vince Williams Jr. | 12 | 1 | 8% | 0 | 0% |
| Brandon Clarke | 2 | 1 | 50% | 0 | 0% |
| Christian Koloko | 2 | 1 | 50% | 0 | 0% |
| Lawson Lovering | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0 | 0% |
| Taylor Hendricks | 11 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
How often the Grizzlies scored first
| Split | Games | Scored first | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| All games | 80 | 35 | 44% |
| Home | 40 | 18 | 45% |
| Away | 40 | 17 | 42% |
| Regular season | 80 | 35 | 44% |
Opening tipoff
| Jumper | Tipoffs | Won | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jaren Jackson Jr. | 32 | 17 | 53% |
| Olivier-Maxence Prosper | 22 | 0 | 0% |
| Zach Edey | 11 | 9 | 82% |
| Taylor Hendricks | 5 | 2 | 40% |
| GG Jackson | 3 | 0 | 0% |
| Christian Koloko | 2 | 1 | 50% |
| Jock Landale | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Santi Aldama | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Lawson Lovering | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Toby Okani | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Taj Gibson | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Team | 80 | 31 | 39% |
How the Grizzlies’ first baskets were scored
| Method | First baskets | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Other 2-pointer (jumper, hook, tip) | 29 | 36% |
| 3-pointer | 27 | 34% |
| Layup | 21 | 26% |
| Dunk | 3 | 4% |
2024-25
| Player | Starts | First basket for MEM | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desmond Bane | 74 | 22 | 30% | 15 | 20% |
| Jaren Jackson Jr. | 80 | 18 | 22% | 9 | 11% |
| Ja Morant | 55 | 16 | 29% | 10 | 18% |
| Zach Edey | 61 | 12 | 20% | 6 | 10% |
| Jaylen Wells | 74 | 6 | 8% | 4 | 5% |
| Scotty Pippen Jr. | 27 | 6 | 22% | 2 | 7% |
| Brandon Clarke | 18 | 4 | 22% | 2 | 11% |
| Luke Kennard | 11 | 1 | 9% | 1 | 9% |
Who scores the first basket most often for the Grizzlies?
Jaylen Wells, with 14 of the Grizzlies’ first baskets in 2025-26 (21% of their 67 starts), ahead of Jaren Jackson Jr. with 11.
How often do the Grizzlies score first?
The Grizzlies made the first field goal in 35 of 80 games in 2025-26 (44%): 45% at home and 42% on the road.
Who takes the opening tipoff for the Grizzlies?
Jaren Jackson Jr. took 32 of the Grizzlies’ 80 opening tips in 2025-26 and won 53% of them.
Is Jaylen Wells a good first basket bet?
That depends on the price. A player who scores first for their team in 21% of starts is worth a bet only when a book prices them below that, after adjusting for tonight’s lineup and opponent. Our models make that comparison every 30 minutes for every NBA game; see NBA first basket picks.
Source: NBA play-by-play and box scores, 2025-26. Updated October 13, 2026. See the NBA first basket leaders for every team, or all stats.