By Justin Dunigan-Washington
There is something special happening in Memphis, and Grizzlies fans might want to pay attention.
Through the first seven games of the 2026-27 NBA season, the Memphis Grizzlies have given their fans plenty of reasons to be excited. At 6-1, Memphis has emerged as one of the early surprises in the Western Conference. But one name in particular has been making headlines: Ty Jerome.
Jerome has come out of the gates playing some incredible basketball. After opening the season with a career-high 45 points against the Utah Jazz, he has continued to show that he can be much more than just another piece in the rotation.
Through six appearances, Jerome is averaging 28.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists while shooting 50.4% from the field and 42.1% from three-point range.
Those are impressive numbers for any NBA player. But what makes this story even more interesting is the comparison to a player who once changed the direction of an entire franchise: Steve Nash.
The Steve Nash comparison
Let’s be clear. I’m not suggesting Ty Jerome is the next Steve Nash. That’s a tremendous amount of pressure to put on any player.
However, there are some similarities worth discussing.
Steve Nash wasn’t an overnight superstar. After being selected 15th overall in the 1996 NBA Draft, Nash spent his early years trying to establish himself in the league. He eventually found his way to Dallas, where his game continued to develop alongside Dirk Nowitzki.
But his career took a different turn when he returned to Phoenix in 2004.
At 30 years old, Nash became the centerpiece of an offensive revolution. In his first season back with the Suns, he averaged 15.5 points and 11.5 assists, won the NBA Most Valuable Player award and helped Phoenix become one of the league’s most exciting teams.
Think about that for a moment.
Sometimes a player’s career doesn’t reach its highest point until he finds the right system, the right teammates and the right opportunity.
Could Memphis be that opportunity for Jerome?
At 29, Jerome is showing that experience, patience and the right situation can make a tremendous difference. His scoring ability, shooting touch and willingness to create opportunities for teammates have given Memphis another dimension offensively.
Like Nash, Jerome has the ability to make defenses pay for giving him too much space. He can shoot from the perimeter, attack the basket and make plays when defenses collapse.
The biggest difference is that Nash built his reputation as an elite playmaker over many seasons. Jerome still has plenty to prove before that comparison becomes anything more than an interesting possibility.
But the early signs are encouraging.
Could the Grizzlies resemble the Phoenix Suns of the mid-2000s?
This is where things get even more interesting.
When people remember the Steve Nash-led Phoenix Suns, they remember an entertaining brand of basketball. Head coach Mike D’Antoni helped build an offense centered around pace, spacing, ball movement and making defenses uncomfortable.
The 2004-05 Suns featured Nash, Amar’e Stoudemire, Shawn Marion, Joe Johnson and Quentin Richardson.
That team could score in a hurry. Stoudemire provided the inside scoring, Marion brought athleticism and versatility, Johnson and Richardson stretched the floor, and Nash controlled the offense.
Phoenix finished the 2004-05 regular season with a 62-20 record and became one of the most dangerous teams in basketball.
Now look at Memphis.
The current Grizzlies have a different collection of talent, but there are some intriguing similarities.
Ty Jerome gives Memphis a perimeter creator who can score and distribute. Zach Edey provides an imposing interior presence. Cameron Boozer brings versatility and offensive skill, while Jerami Grant gives the team another experienced scoring option.
Add the young talent surrounding those players, and Memphis has the ingredients to become a difficult matchup for opponents.
The similarities aren’t about having identical players. They’re about having multiple offensive threats who can make defenses choose their poison.
The Phoenix offense was built around creating advantages. Nash could attack a defense, find Stoudemire rolling toward the basket or kick the ball out to an open shooter.
Memphis has the opportunity to create similar problems.
If Jerome draws two defenders, somebody else needs to be ready to make them pay. If teams focus on the perimeter, Memphis needs to take advantage of its size inside.
That’s how good offenses become great offenses.
Memphis has the numbers, but can it sustain the success?
The early statistics certainly give Grizzlies fans reasons to believe.
Memphis entered November 4 with a 6-1 record, averaging 123 points per game, ranking first in the NBA in scoring. The team also ranked third in offensive rating.
Those numbers are impressive, but seven games don’t make a championship contender.
The real challenge is consistency.
Can Memphis continue to score at this level when opponents have more film to study? Can Jerome maintain his production when defenses begin making him their primary focus? Can the supporting cast consistently deliver?
Those are questions that will eventually determine just how good this basketball team can become.
The 2004-05 Phoenix Suns didn’t become special because Steve Nash scored points. They became special because the entire roster understood how to play together.
That’s the lesson Memphis should take from that team.
Grizzlies fans, enjoy the possibilities
I’m not ready to put a championship banner in the FedExForum just yet. There’s a long season ahead, and plenty of basketball still needs to be played.
But there’s nothing wrong with recognizing something special when it starts to develop.
Ty Jerome has given Memphis a reason to be excited. His start has reminded us that sometimes the right opportunity can change the way we look at a player’s career.
Steve Nash found that opportunity in Phoenix.
Could Ty Jerome be finding his in Memphis?
Only time will tell.
But if the Grizzlies can continue building around Jerome’s playmaking, surround him with reliable scoring and develop the kind of offensive chemistry that made those Phoenix teams so dangerous, Memphis could be building something worth watching.
And Grizzlies fans know one thing: there’s nothing wrong with dreaming a little.
Believe in Memphis. The season is just getting started.
