Former WSU wing Jaylen Wells totals 8 points, key charge as Grizzlies drop Summer League title game

PULLMAN – Jaylen Wells’ first run as a pro has come to an end.

Wells’ Memphis Grizzlies fell in Monday’s NBA Summer League championship game, 120-118 in overtime, bringing an end to the former Washington State wing’s first stretch of playing time in the NBA since getting drafted last month.

In Monday’s game, Wells fouled out with this stat line: 8 points on 3-for-8 shooting, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 2 turnovers.

He recorded several highlight plays, including a 4-point play in the fourth quarter and a key charge, setting up the Grizzlies to retake possession in the final moments of regulation.

The game comes on the heels of Wells’ best game of the summer, a 28-point outing on Sunday, which helped the Grizzlies dispatch the Los Angeles Clippers and advance to Monday’s title game. It was the second high-scoring showing of the summer for Wells, who also put up 27 points earlier in the Summer League slate, including a game-winning put-back to beat the Philadelphia 76ers.

Wells was taken by the Grizzlies with the No. 39 overall pick in last month’s NBA Draft, earning roughly $8 million in his rookie contract, making him one of the highest-paid players to be drafted around his spot.

Wells started his career with two seasons at Division II Sonoma State (California) before transferring last season to WSU, where he starred for the Cougars, who earned their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 16 years.