Zach Cleveland Signs with Memphis Grizzlies After 2026 NBA Draft

The Memphis Grizzlies signed 22-year-old forward Zach Cleveland following his senior season at Liberty University. Cleveland enters the roster after earning Conference USA Player of the Year honors despite going unselected in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Zach Cleveland Joins Memphis Grizzlies Roster

Cleveland stands 6-foot-7 and arrives in Tennessee with a resume built on high-volume production during his four seasons with the Liberty Flames. The player’s height is 2.01 meters alongside his senior year averages. Over 33 starts last season, Cleveland averaged 11.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 6.8 assists in 34.9 minutes per contest.

The forward shot 60.7 percent from the field during his final college campaign. That efficiency anchored an offensive role that also yielded 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. His selection to the All-Conference USA First Team followed those performances.

Liberty University Career and Draft Status

The Bloomington, Illinois, native spent his entire collegiate career with the Liberty Flames, appearing in 126 games with 99 starts. Across four seasons, Cleveland maintained career averages of 9.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 27.7 minutes per game. Those four years included three total All-Conference USA selections.

Despite those individual accolades and a senior season that brought conference player of the year recognition, Cleveland heard his name called by no franchises during the 2026 NBA Draft.

Building the Memphis Front Office Roster

Memphis targets specific skill sets by bringing in the former Liberty standout. The franchise views Cleveland as a versatile, productive piece accustomed to heavy responsibilities, aiming to integrate him into a system that rewards playmaking, physical defense, and multi-category contributions.

Cleveland appeared in all 33 games for Liberty during his final year, handling nearly 34.9 minutes of floor time per night. His defensive contributions matched his playmaking totals last season, registering matching 1.3 averages in both steals and blocks.