Memphis’s steady, do-the-little-things guard
In the 2011-12 season, Preston Laird was a low-usage Memphis guard who contributed as a depth piece rather than a box-score star, averaging 0.7 points, 0.2 rebounds and 0.1 assists per game while shooting 28.6% from the field and 33.3% from three[1][9]. His value was less about scoring and more about reliability, local roots, and team-first toughness: he was a Memphis native, began as a walk-on, earned a scholarship, and eventually became a team captain[2][7]. If a coach wanted a grinder who understood the program and accepted his role, that was his lane.
