You Won't Believe How This UCF Alum Shocked Everyone After Joining His New NBA Team!

Former UCF Knights forward Taylor Hendricks has embarked on a new chapter in his NBA career, joining the Memphis Grizzlies following a significant trade. On February 4, Hendricks was part of an eight-player deal that saw the Utah Jazz send star forward/center Jaren Jackson Jr.—a two-time All-Star and the 2022-23 NBA Defensive Player of the Year—to Memphis. This move included three future first-round picks in exchange for Jackson and three other players.

Jazz Receive

Grizzlies Receive

Hendricks, who was drafted ninth overall by the Jazz in the 2023 NBA Draft, made history as the first Knight from the UCF program to be selected in the first round. Over his three-year tenure with Utah, he played in 76 games, setting the record for the most games played by a former Knight in the NBA, surpassing Jermaine Taylor, who played 65 games in his career. Taylor was similarly traded during his time in the league, moving from the Houston Rockets to the Sacramento Kings in 2010.

During his time with the Jazz, Hendricks averaged 6.2 points and 3.9 rebounds per game while shooting 44% from the field and 75.4% from the free-throw line. His performance has caught the attention of fans and analysts alike, particularly as he transitions to the Grizzlies. In his first four games with Memphis, all on the road and without a starting position, he averaged 21.8 minutes of play. His standout moment came during his third game, where he recorded his first double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Before his jump to the NBA, Hendricks played just one season with the Knights, where he quickly made a name for himself. That season, he logged the third-most minutes in a single season in UCF history, earning accolades as a member of the All-American Athletic Conference Second Team and All-Freshman selections. He also recorded 59 blocks, tied for the eighth-most in a season at UCF, and his three-point shooting percentage of 36.4% ranks tenth among Knights with at least 100 attempts.

In an impressive feat, Hendricks holds multiple freshman records in UCF's program history, including points, field goals, rebounds, and free throws—records that now bear his name in the freshman record book.

As the NBA season progresses, Hendricks has less than two months left to make an impact with the Grizzlies, who are currently in 11th place in the Western Conference, just 5.5 games behind a spot in the NBA Playoffs' play-in games. Ironically, his debut at the FedEx Forum in a Grizzlies uniform will be against his former team, the Jazz, on Friday at 7 p.m.

For fans and followers of UCF athletics, Hendricks' journey is a proud representation of the school's growing presence in professional sports. As he continues to evolve in his career, the hope is that he can help propel the Grizzlies into playoff contention.