Memphis Grizzlies bolster Gonzaga pipeline, sign former Bulldog guard David Stockton

David Stockton is returning to the NBA and Gonzaga fans may not be surprised to hear where the former Bulldog guard landed.

The Memphis Grizzlies announced the signing of Stockton on Friday, marking a return to the NBA for someone who’s had brief stints with the Utah Jazz and Sacramento Kings since his final season at Gonzaga in 2013-14.

Stockton should feel somewhat at home at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, where he’ll be teaming up with former Gonzaga players Brandon Clarke and Killian Tillie. Memphis is one of two NBA teams with multiple ex-Bulldogs on its roster, joining the Washington Wizards, who enter the 2021-22 season with Rui Hachimura and Corey Kispert.

Team policies prevent contract details from being disclosed, so the specific nature of Stockton’s contract with Memphis is unknown.

The son of NBA career assists leader and Gonzaga legend John Stockton most recently played for the Memphis Hustle of the G League, ranking second among starters with 14.3 points per game while leading the team with 5.6 rebounds. Stockton started all 15 games, averaged 29.9 minutes per game and registered 3.7 rebounds with 1.0 steals.

Over the course of his G League career with the Hustle, Reno Bighorns and South Bay Lakers, Stockton has averaged 17.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.5 steals in 29.9 minutes over 184 games. The Spokane native and Gonzaga Prep product has played in six career NBA games with two teams and has played overseas in Croatia, New Zealand, Germany and Puerto Rico since going unselected in the 2014 NBA Draft.

The Grizzlies waived guard Ahmad Caver to make room for Stockton on their roster. 

At Gonzaga, Stockton played in 138 career games but didn’t become a starter until his senior season when he started in all 36 games for the Bulldogs, averaging 7.4 points, 4.2 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals.