The last time that Jaren Jackson Jr. made the NBA All-Star Game, there was a pop-up store for a debuting shoe. A buzz surrounded the event as a star ascended to national status. The Memphis Grizzlies were the talk of the basketball world…
And it was not because of Jaren Jackson Jr.
It was Ja Morant‘s shoe making a national debut. Ja’s name was the one on the mouths of pundits as the next American-born superstar ready to carry the NBA to new heights. Morant was the reason the Grizzlies were so ahead of schedule, the most fun team and player to watch in the Association. The vibes were immaculate, and Ja Morant was the ring leader.
Until, of course, it wasn’t.
For various reasons over the last almost two years, Ja Morant’s place as the face of the Memphis Grizzlies franchise has been in flux. And in his absence, Jaren Jackson Jr. has found himself as not just a good NBA player capable of being the proverbial Robin to Morant’s Batman.
He’s not a sidekick. He is a co-star. And while he is enjoying a career-best season, this weekend, he will enjoy the well-deserved eyes of the NBA universe on him. What he has done for the Grizzlies.
And how he has become an All-NBA player during a time when Memphis desperately needed some basketball light to shine upon them.
The offensive progression
By most metrics, Jackson Jr. is having the best offensive season of his NBA career. The 4th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft is timing this quite nicely. Due for a contract extension this summer — and potentially free agency in 2026 — Jaren is displaying growth as a scorer that was hard to see coming.
Hard, that is, unless you watched the “lost season” of the Memphis Grizzlies in 2023-2024.
That, of course, was the year that started with Ja Morant’s suspension. And after nine beautiful games of the gang being back together, Morant was out due to a shoulder injury. Without Ja, a massive hole was left in terms of production.
Some players filled the void in various ways— a GG Jackson All-Rookie Team here, a Desmond Bane run of success there. But no player made the most of an increased offensive role quite like Jaren.
It has manifested itself this year. Jaren is the highest-scoring player on one of the highest-scoring offenses in the NBA. He has had epic hot streaks, can score in all three phases, and hunts mismatches that, once upon a time, he may have let slide. He’s doing more with greater usage expectations than the last time he was an All-Star.
That comes at a cost. Teams double-team him more than he is used to, and he is still not the best passer in those — or most — situations. The turnover problems that plague the Grizzlies show through in his game more often than he’d care to admit.
Still, his career-best Offensive Box Plus-Minus confirms what what your eyes tell you. Jaren is a bucket.
Still a defensive stalwart
Jaren Jackson Jr. built his name in the NBA as a force blocking and altering shots.
His 2022-2023 season, which resulted in a Defensive Player of the Year Award, was not shocking— it was deserved. As his role in the offense has increased, his defensive exploits remain. Teams score 8.3 fewer points per 100 possessions when Jaren is on the court as opposed to when he is off. While his block percentages are middle of the pack for his career, his steal percentage is at a career high.
And his defending while fouling problem is a thing of the past.
Jaren’s growth as a player is directly connected to the fact that as his offensive significance has decreased, his defensive efforts have not. No, he’s not putting up defensive numbers the way that he did as a DPoY. But he is still capable of altering opponents’ shots due to his length and positioning as a weak side help defender. Opponents shoot worse at the rim and even from three when Jaren is on the floor.
Couple this with his scoring ability, and you have the best two-way player on the Grizzlies and an All-NBA talent this season.
Jaren Jackson Jr.’s time is now
The NBA season pauses this time of year to showcase the league’s strengths. Football season is over. Basketball can fully take the stage. The old guard of the NBA — LeBron James, Stephen Curry, etc. — still hold their place among the elite. But the times are changing, and a new class of top-line talent is staking claim to the spotlight.
A Memphis Grizzly is ready to take advantage of the opportunity. It just is not the one we all thought it would be two years ago. Ja Morant’s story remains unfinished – he was a tweener All-Star candidate this season himself despite the injuries and inconsistencies. He may well be back in this game sooner rather than later.
If he does? He will have company. Not a sidekick, but a fellow pillar of the future of the Grizzlies franchise. Jaren Jackson Jr. has earned that role.
This weekend is just another chance for the rest of the NBA to see it shine under their brightest lights.
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