Jarrad Weeks
July 23, 2020
Jerai Grant
- Nationality: USA
- Date of Birth: 10/01/89
- Place of Birth: Bowie, Maryland (US)
- Position: PF
- Height (CM): 203
- Weight (KG): 100
- Junior Assoc: None
- College: Clemson (2007–2011)
- NBL DEBUT: 7/10/11
- AGE AT DEBUT: 22
- LAST NBL GAME: 24/03/12
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 23
- NBL History: Sydney 2012
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Jerai Grant was born in Bowie, Maryland (US).
FAMILY: Son of Harvey Grant and Nephew of Horace Grant (NBA). His brothers Jerami and Jerai also played in the NBA.
NBL EXPERIENCE
Jerai Grant made his NBL debut with the Sydney Kings at 22 years of age. He scored 16 points in his first game.
The Kings’ retained their core group of Julian Khazzouh (team captain), Ben Madgen, Luke Martin, Luke Cooper and Graeme Dann and looked to build on their disappointing return to the NBL. Head coach Ian Robilliard was able to bolster the roster by signing former Australian Boomers guard Aaron Bruce (via Adelaide), college grad Anatoly Bose (via Nicholls State) and, after a import roller-coaster the previous season, signed Jerai Grant (son and nephew of NBA stars Harvey Grant and Horace Grant respectively) and state league talent, Kevin Ratzsch.
Additionally, due to the 2011 NBA Lockout, Australia’s highest profile basketballer, former Milwaukee Bucks centre Andrew Bogut, was looking to play in the NBL during the 2011/12 season. He was linked with the Adelaide 36ers, the Gold Coast Blaze and the Kings, whom Bogut had supported when growing up in Australia. Sydney was favoured to secure his services, and Bogut ultimately chose to make his NBL debut with the Kings. However, the insurance to cover his remaining US$39 million contract with the Bucks couldn’t be resolved, leaving the Kings and the NBL without the services of Australia’s highest profile player. It was expected that Bogut’s signing would see a increase in Kings membership and league attendances. Despite not being able to play, Bogut later expressed interest in joining the Kings’ coaching staff during the lockout to help the club. This ultimately did not happen either.
Khazzouh was unstoppable during the first two months of the season was clearly the best player in the competition. This was no clearer than in the Kings 23 point win over the Adelaide 36ers in October 2011 when he filled the box score with 26 points, 13 rebounds, and 2 blocks in 36 minutes, a game which gained the attention of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors. In December 2011, halfway through the season, Khazzouh would leave the team to participate in the Warriors pre-season camp. Khazzouh was then waived on 18 December 2011 and returned to Sydney to finish out the season.
The Kings fared better in their second year back in the NBL, beginning the season by winning half their games each month for the first three months. This saw the Kings jostling between fifth and sixth position, vying for a playoff spot, and having equalled their win from last season by round 14.
It was around this time Aaron Bruce (13.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 4.4 assists) suffered a vertical fracture to his tibia which ended his season and created a huge void within the team’s backcourt. With Bruce going down, the team managed only three additional wins for the year, resulting in Robilliard being moved into a executive role and replaced by Tim Hudson as interim head coach until the Kings came to term with club legend Shane Heal who agreed to coach the team on a multi-year deal.
Sydney finished in seventh place (11-17).
Jerai Grant (11.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.4 blocks) would have a inconsistent rookie season. It wasn’t uncommon for Grant to win Player of the Week (Rounds 14 and 24) in some rounds to only then disappearing totally in others. Julian Khazzouh (16.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 2.1 blocks) would lead the team in scoring as well as finish the season as the NBL’s leader in rebounds and blocked shots before being named to the All-NBL First Team, and Anatoly Bose (15.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists) was also impressive in his debut season, earning the Rookie of the Year award.
Jerai Grant played one season in the NBL. He averaged 11.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 28 NBL games.
Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-12 | 23 | Sydney | 11-17 (7) | 28 | 792.0 | 333 | 228 | 32 | 94 | 134 | 22 | 40 | 52 | 71 | 136 | 245 | 56% | 1 | 1 | 100% | 60 | 98 | 61% | 57% | 56% | 23 | Totals | 28 | 792 | 333 | 228 | 32 | 94 | 134 | 22 | 40 | 52 | 71 | 136 | 245 | 55.5% | 1 | 1 | 100.0% | 60 | 98 | 61.2% | 58% | 56% | 23 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-12 | 23 | Sydney | 11-17 (7) | 28 | 28.3 | 11.9 | 8.1 | 1.1 | 3.4 | 4.8 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 1.9 | 2.5 | 4.9 | 8.8 | 56% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 100% | 2.1 | 3.5 | 61% | 57% | 56% | 23 | Total | 28 | 28.3 | 11.9 | 8.1 | 1.1 | 3.4 | 4.8 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 1.9 | 2.5 | 4.9 | 8.8 | 55.5% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 100.0% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 61.2% | 58% | 56% | 23 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 23 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 0 |
|---|
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Bahrain - Manama Club (2020) | France - SIG Strasbourg (2019) | Greece - AEK Athens (2019–2020), Promitheas Patras (2021-22) | Israel - Hapoel Holon (2013), Maccabi Haifa (2020) | Italy - Enel Brindisi (2012–2013), Orasi Ravenna (2017–2018) | Latvia - Ventspils (2013–2015) | Lithuania - Neptūnas Klaipėda (2015–2017, 2018-2019) | Venezuela - Trotamundos de Carabobo (2018)
On July 25, 2015, Grant signed with Lithuanian team Neptūnas Klaipėda. He helped Neptūnas reach the LKL finals for the second time in club history, and helped the team have a very solid Eurocup Basketball campaign, reaching the Top16 phase. He averaged 9.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per game in the LKL, and 8.9 points and 6.2 rebounds in the EuroCup.
On July 10, 2016, Grant re-signed with Neptūnas Klaipėda. He averaged 8.8 points and 5.6 rebounds in the LKL.
In 2020 Grant signed with Promitheas Patras of the Greek Basket League and the EuroCup. He averaged 11.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks per game. On July 26, 2021, Grant renewed his contract with the Greek club.
COLLEGE
In his four-year career at Clemson, Grant played 127 games (63 starts) while averaging 6.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks in 17.9 minutes per game.
As a senior in 2010/11, he averaged 21.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1 steal and 2.3 blocks per game. He was named to the ACC All-Defensive team and earned honorable mention All-ACC honours.
AWARDS
- Greek Cup winner (2020)
- 2× LBL All-Star (2014, 2015)
-
LBL champion (2014)
-
ACC All-Defensive Team (2011)
Related
HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THIS PLAYER?
Whilst we try to source as much information as we can for every player who has ever played in the NBL some information on a player profile may be missing. If you have additional information on a player you'd like us to add to a profile, please send it to us using the enquiry form below.
Submissions are then sent to info@aussiehoopla.com
