Center Trey Jemison joined the Los Angeles Lakers on a two-way contract on Wednesday, and with Anthony Davis missing Friday night’s game, the former UAB standout made his first appearance for the NBA team.

Jaxson Hayes made his third start of the season in Davis’ place, and Jemison played 14:36 off the bench for Los Angeles in a 102-101 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. Jemison didn’t take a shot but contributed four rebounds and two blocked shots.

Jemison joined the Lakers after being released by the New Orleans Pelicans on Jan. 9, but he had not played since Dec. 19.

In 16 games with New Orleans this season, Jemison averaged 2.4 points and 2.8 rebounds while playing 10.4 minutes per game.

Jemison also played for the Pelicans on a two-way contract.

Each NBA team can carry up to three players on two-way contracts in addition to the 15 players on standard NBA contracts. Players on two-way contracts can move between the NBA team and its NBA Gatorade League affiliate without having to go through the waiver process, although two-way players are restricted to 50 games with the big club.

Jemison has not played in the G League this season.

A prep star at Homewood and Hoover before playing at UAB, Jemison was playing for the G League’s Birmingham Squadron last season when his work under the boards attracted the attention of the NBA’s worst rebounding team.

The Washington Wizards signed the center to a 10-day contract on Jan. 20. Jemison didn’t get much of a chance with the Wizards, though. During his 10-day stay, he played one minute across two games. But the day that contract ran out, Jemison signed another 10-day deal with the Memphis Grizzlies, who had been hit by an epidemic of injuries.

This time, Jemison got to play, and when his 10-day contract expired, Memphis signed him to a two-way contract.

With the Grizzlies, Jemison played in 23 games, with 14 starts. He made 55.1 percent of his shots as he averaged 7.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.

The Grizzlies waived Jemison on July 24. The Pelicans claimed his contract off the waiver wire, bringing him back to New Orleans after he’d attended training camp with the team as a rookie last season.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.