Memphis Grizzlies General Manager Chris Wallace today announced the team has signed rookie forward Jarell Martin. Per team policy, terms of the deal are not disclosed.
Martin (6-10, 235) was drafted by Memphis with the 25th overall pick in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft after a two-year collegiate career at Louisiana State University (LSU), where he guided the Tigers to the 2014 National Invitation Tournament as a freshman and the 2015 NCAA Tournament as a sophomore. Named All-American Honorable Mention by The Associated Press last season, Martin left LSU with career averages of 13.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 30.7 minutes in 65 games (57 starts) for the Tigers.
A consensus First Team All-SEC selection last season, Martin posted 16.9 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 35.1 minutes in 33 games (32 starts) as a sophomore, ranking third in the Southeastern Conference in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage (.509) and fourth in minutes per game. The 21-year-old recorded 15 double-doubles, including five in the final seven games of the season, and led the Tigers in free throws made (140).
Martin was named to the SEC All-Freshman team after averaging 10.4 points and 4.6 rebounds in 26.2 minutes in 32 games (25 starts) in his first year with the Tigers. The Baton Rouge, La. native was the winner of the 2013 Mr. Basketball award given by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association to the top player in the state of Louisiana after leading Madison Prep to the school’s first state title in Class B in 2013.