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MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE – SEPTEMBER 28: Ty Jerome #2 of the Memphis Grizzlies speaks to media during the Memphis Grizzlies media day during at FedExForum on September 28, 2026 in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)

The Cleveland Cavaliers drew the oddly shaped straw that meant they had to wait until the third day of the NBA regular season to finally play their first game.

That meant that on Wednesday night, they might’ve had the chance to watch former Cavs guard Ty Jerome play for the Memphis Grizzlies.

And for anyone who was watching, they got to see one of the most impressive performances you’ll see all season long — and it was just in game one for Memphis.

Jerome got to play just 15 games a season ago, his first with the Grizzlies, due to injury — so he never really got to get fully unleashed and show what he can do.

But on Wednesday night, Jerome showed everything he’s got in his bag, and it was incredible.

Ty Jerome Stats

Taking on the Utah Jazz and former Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. to open the season, Jerome was clearly the best player on the floor.

He finished the night with:

45 points
17-25 FG
5-10 3FG
6-7 FT
7 rebounds
6 assists
1 block
1 turnover
+22

It’s an astounding performance from Jerome, who needed just 32 minutes to put up those numbers.

He reached 41 points when he hit a 3-pointer from the logo — that’s how much he was feeling it:

Ty Jerome LOGO THREE to give him 41.

Oh My…….

https://t.co/IfoVYXXujK

— Across The Cavs (@AcrossCavs) October 22, 2026

Memphis beat the Jazz by 20, and they proved how fascinating their roster can be this season.

They needed only one other starter in double figures, Jaylen Wells with 12, to get past Utah comfortably.

It didn’t even matter that Cameron Boozer was just 2-for-15, because Jerome was that good.

Cavaliers Have Seen This

Many Cavs fans would’ve liked to keep Jerome in the summer of 2025, but it wasn’t going to happen with Cleveland’s tight cap situation.

Instead, they had to watch one of their beloved bench players leave, and there was always the threat it would turn out this painful.

Jerome was uber-efficient in his final year with the Cavs — he may have rarely gotten the minutes to put up the counting stats, but when he was in the game, he was a force to be reckoned with.

Now finally healthy in Memphis, Jerome has the chance to do what he did late with the Cavs but just do it for longer stretches of games.

Cleveland may not have had a way to keep Jerome before he left for the Grizzlies for the 2025-26 campaign and beyond.

But now at the start of the 2026-27 season, Jerome is already making it clear that he’s going to be potent for Memphis, and the Cavs can only watch.

Billy Heyen Billy Heyen is a Heavy contributor with focus on the NFL and MLB. He is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University who spent his senior year following Jim Boeheim’s basketball team around the country. His reporting work has also included extensive work for The Sporting News, the Sandusky Register and Rochester’s Democrat & Chronicle. Adventures in sports writing have also led to in-person coverage of the Buffalo Sabres, Cleveland Guardians, U.S. men’s national soccer team and a variety of minor league baseball stories. More about Billy Heyen