Less than a week ago, former Weber State star Eddie Gill was running the offense of the Kansas City Knights of the ABA.
Thursday night he started at point guard for the Memphis Grizzlies against the Utah Jazz.
Yes, there have been times this season when the last-place Grizzlies haven't looked much better than the first-place Knights, and Thursday was one of those times, as they were drubbed by the Jazz, 114-70.
But for the 23-year-old Gill, whose hoop travels have taken him to such far-flung destinations as Italy, Las Vegas and New Jersey, playing in the Delta Center was a treat, regardless of the outcome. He got a nice welcome from the crowd, a surprising number of which clearly remembered him for his exploits as a Wildcat.
"I was pretty excited about that," he said. "That was encouraging."
Asked if he was surprised they remembered him, he admitted, "I was surprised by how many."
Gill had friends at the game, but they probably didn't see his best effort. He — and pretty much all the Grizzlies — had a tough night. Gill made just 2 of 8 shots for five points, with three rebounds, three assists and four turnovers in 33 minutes.
He made some nice passes but his teammates did little with them, shooting at just a 31.5-percent clip.
Grizz coach Sidney Lowe termed his team's effort "a disgrace."
"We did nothing right," he said. "Nobody."
Questioned about Gill, Lowe said, "I'm happy with his effort. It's a tough situation for a young guy to come into, to play against a Hall of Fame guy like John Stockton."
Gill didn't express any awe about facing Stockton, but he did acknowledge that it's taking some time to adjust to the NBA and especially coaches who call plays.
"I'm not comfortable with each time I get the ball, looking at the coach to tell me what to do," he said.
Gill may need to adjust soon. He has four days left on a 10-day contract, and the team likely will sign him to another 10-day, considering the beat-up status of their top two point guards, Jason Williams and Brevin Knight.
One thing he can't say is that he hasn't had a chance. In his first game as a Grizzly, he played all 48 minutes of a loss to the Clippers. In that game he finished with 20 points, seven assists and five rebounds.
His next game was a tad less successful — eight points, four assists in 27 minutes of a loss to Dallas. And then came the Jazz.
If nothing else, these games have shown Gill that he's still got a lot to learn. He also believes they've proven he belongs in the NBA, though he's realistic about his chances to stick this time.
"I'll just go out, do what I can do, hope everything takes care of itself," he said.
E-MAIL: rich@desnews.com