It’s always a special occasion when a player gets their jersey retired. Whether it’s at the high school, collegiate, or professional level, it’s the culmination of all the success that they’ve had during their journey. Soon, Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane will get to experience that revelry.
Grizzlies’ Distinguished Desmond Bane To Be Honored By TCU
On Jan. 22, TCU announced that they’ll be retiring Bane’s jersey on Feb. 18 when they face Texas Tech. The Indiana native played for the Horned Frogs for four seasons, wearing No. 1. In that time, he was a two-time All-Big 12 selection thanks to his stellar performances in 2018-19 and 2019-20.
𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐎𝐍𝐄
On Feb. 18, @DBane0625 will be the sixth Horned Frog to have his jersey retired. pic.twitter.com/l2BheBxxsi
— TCU Men’s Basketball (@TCUBasketball) January 23, 2025
Ranking in the top-five of all Big 12 players with his scoring average in both those seasons, Bane saved his best for last. In 2019-20, he led the conference with his three-point percentage, knocking down 44.2 percent of his shots from long-distance. He was so efficient that he actually ranked seventh among all NCAA players that season.
His total three-point conversions (92), games played (32), and minutes (1,152) also topped the Big 12 in 2019-20. In fact, he was just two three-pointers away from breaking TCU’s single-season record, set by Michael Strickland in 1989-90. With that in mind, even Strickland didn’t reach Bane’s heights, as he never made it to the NBA. Meanwhile, Bane was taken 30th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft.
Amazingly, Bane didn’t just land on a roster though, he’s become a key starter for a perennial playoff contender. In fact, if he didn’t play alongside uber-talented players like Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., he might even be considered a star. To that point, Bane was forced into a larger role than he normally has in 2023-24, while Morant was limited by injuries and suspensions. He responded by averaging career-highs of 23.7 points and 5.5 assists per game.
Will He Be In Attendance?
Bane has yet to publicly confirm whether he’ll be at the school when his jersey goes up in the rafters.
However, it’s likely assumed that he’ll make the trip to Fort Worth, as the NBA will be on their All-Star Break from Feb. 14-19. If so, the Horned Frogs would obviously love to have their all-time leader in games played (141), three-point field goals (249), and true shooting percentage (.611) there. Especially as he’s just the sixth player in TCU history to receive the honor.
(Update: Bane has confirmed that he’ll be in attendance.)
Aside from friends and family, it’s possible that Bane will be joined by past and former teammates, both collegiate and professional. The 26-year-old is known to become quite fond of his brothers-in-arms. In fact, he’s consistently credited Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks for showing him the ropes in his rookie season.
