by Doug Ammon

For many 20-year-olds, September is the time they would find themselves getting back into the swing of life at college – reconnecting with friends they hadn’t seen all summer and getting ready for the academic grind ahead. For Jerami Grant, that grind looks much different.

Grant was born in Portland, Oregon to a basketball family. His father, Harvey Grant, played 11 seasons in the NBA including one year in Philadelphia (1999). His uncle, Horace Grant, was known for his defensive prowess and his magnificently oversized Rec Specs and won four NBA Championships, including three straight with the Chicago Bulls playing alongside Michael Jordan.

Naturally, Jerami grew up playing basketball, but it wasn’t until he joined high school powerhouse DeMatha Catholic (Maryland) that he began to garner national attention. After proving his talent at DeMatha, Grant was offered a scholarship to storied Syracuse University, where the 6’8” forward would join a talented team and learn under the tutelage of legendary head coach Jim Boeheim.

During his freshmen year, Grant experienced some growing pains, and while he appeared in 40 games for the Orange, he logged just 14 minutes per game. His sophomore year was much more productive; he averaged 12.1 points per game and hauled in 6.8 rebounds on a Syracuse team that went 28-6 in 2013-14. Grant’s prowess on the glass and on the defensive end of the floor earned him a first-round grade from many outlets leading up to the 2014 Draft. He ended up slipping to 39th overall, where the Sixers made him their fourth selection of the evening.

Inside the Numbers: 2013-14

Since Grant is a rookie, he has no NBA stats to pull from, but his college stats could provide insight into how his game may translate to the next level. The level of competition he faced night in and night out in college was exceptional, with Syracuse playing a complete ACC schedule, including games against Virginia, Duke, and North Carolina.

Syracuse started last season 25-0, with Grant being a key reason for the Orange’s success. He made a big impact on the boards and filled the stat sheet, but a great deal of his value can be attributed to intangibles. He was a team leader and had a limitless motor that allowed him to make big plays down the stretch. Perhaps Grant’s greatest attribute on the offensive end is his ability to finish around the rim, and his efficiency on that end of the floor helped him finish top 10 in the ACC in win shares per 40 minutes, offensive rating, and player efficiency rating.

Snapshot Strengths

Athleticism

Offensive Rebounding

Defensive Potential





Looking Ahead

How Grant performs at training camp will help determine his role with the Sixers at the beginning of the season, but opportunity should abound on a young Philadelphia team. Grant will join a historically young squad that features only a handful of forwards in the wake of Thaddeus Young’s departure – Luc Mbah a Moute, Brandon Davies, and Arnett Moultrie, along with swingmen K.J. McDaniels and Hollis Thompson and potentially Nerlens Noel, who could see minutes at both frontcourt positions.

Tell us what you expect to see from Jerami Grant this season in the comments below.

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