LOCALS IN THE NBA
Former USU Forward Justin Bean Signs Training Camp Deal With Grizzlies
Sep 23, 2022, 6:14 PM | Updated: Oct 11, 2022, 10:30 am

Justin Bean #34 of the Utah State Aggies goes for the layup against the San Diego State Aztecs during the championship game of the Mountain West Conference basketball tournament at the Thomas & Mack Center on March 7, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – Former Utah State standout Justin Bean signed a training camp deal with the Memphis Grizzlies ahead of the 2022 NBA season.
The Grizzlies announced the signing on Friday, September 23.
“The @memgrizz today announced the team signed Justin Bean and Jacob Gilyard to finalize their 2022 training camp roster.ports.com,” Memphis’ public relations tweeted.
The @memgrizz today announced the team signed Justin Bean and Jacob Gilyard to finalize their 2022 training camp roster. pic.twitter.com/YeIVyziNIE
— Grizzlies PR (@GrizzliesPR) September 23, 2022
Bean had previously signed a contract with the Los Angeles Clippers after he went undrafted following the 2022 NBA Draft.
The Moore, Oklahoma native went through many obstacles to get to where he is today. When he arrived at Utah State, he was a walk-on during the 2017-18 season, using his redshirt.
As a redshirt freshman in 2018-19, Bean appeared in 29 games, averaging 4.1 points in 12.1 minutes per game. During his sophomore campaign in 2019-20, Bean was named third-team All-Mountain West and was selected to the All-Mountain West defensive team. He improved his averages to 11.9 points and 10.5 rebounds per game.
Bean’s numbers went down a little bit during the 2020-21 season, posting 11.4 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. His final season with the Aggies was his best, bumping his scoring average to 17.4 points per game and his rebounding to 9.9.
Selected to the Mountain West All-Defensive team, Bean was also named second-team All-Mountain West. Bean is in the top five of many records in Utah State history. He holds the school record for most 10+ rebound games with 57, second in career rebounds with 1,027, second in career double-doubles with 46, fifth in career steals with 161 and tied for eighth with 126 career games played.
He is also in the record books for single-season accomplishments, including second in school history with 20 double-doubles during the 2022 season, fifth in single-season rebounds with 356 in 2021 and fifth in single-season minutes played with 1,203 in 2022.
justin bean doing was justin bean does‼️
⚡️ @justinbean34 #AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/k1LIntv7U0
— USU Men's Hoops (@USUBasketball) February 4, 2022
Bean will look to crack the roster for the Clippers, a team that finished the 2021-22 season with a 42-40 record and ninth place in the Western Conference. They lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves and the New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA Play-In Tournament.