GG Jackson's development should be a big priority going forward
19-year old GG Jackson has quickly become a bright spot for the injury-ravaged Memphis Grizzlies. He has the tools to fill gaps on this roster, and this season should be about tapping into his upside.
2024 has already had a brutal effect on the Memphis Grizzlies. Riding into the year with a roster near health, it felt like the team was ready to take off. And then…
Ja Morant, out for season with a torn labral.
Marcus Smart, re-evaluated in 6 weeks after central slip tear in his finger.
Desmond Bane, re-evaluated in 6 weeks after a Grade-3 sprained ankle.
It felt deflating, and eyes became set on next season. However, the show must go on, and rather quickly, the next man up has shined bright.
And his name is GG Jackson II.
The youngest player in the NBA, 19-year old GG Jackson was expected to essentially go through a “redshirt” rookie season and play most of his minutes with the Memphis Hustle. As the injury report piled up, the Grizzlies needed bodies, and Jackson immediately stepped in and added value.
Over the 3-day weekend, GG Jackson averaged 15.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2 stocks on 57.1/53.8/72.7 shooting splits. He was rather impactful, too — finishing with the best plus/minus in each game, while boasting a +23 against the Warriors. He eclipsed 20 points and 5 rebounds in the last 2 games, joining elite company in the process. Let me just share some of these insane stat queries from Memphis’ resident stats sensei and friend of the platform, Shawn Coleman:
Yes, I don’t blame you if you’re amped up. Those are fun notes in a season that’s been viciously unkind.
If you zoom out, while GG Jackson may not score 20+ points on a nightly basis, his impact is encouraging for various reasons. For starters, he’s contributing beyond scoring as a rebounder and defensive event generator. Even with his scoring, it’s all scalable and came through the flow of the offense. All of his 3-pointers this past weekend have come in catch-and-shoot situations — and he’s doing so with confidence and in rhythm. He’s picking up on subtle off-ball things as well.
As Luke Kennard is driving downhill, Jackson slowly slides over from the corner to the wing. In doing so, he situates himself within Kennard’s passing window and has his hands ready to fire from 3.
More often than not, Jackson is likely to serve as an off-ball player in a fully healthy situation. Early, he’s already showing flashes in this complementary component.
Defensively, he has the tools to be a good defender. He’s roughly 6’9” with a 6’11.5” wingspan. In the G League, he averaged 2.14 stocks per game, per Synergy Sports. This past weekend, he flashed his defensive upside, particularly as an event creator early.
I want to dive into 2 of his blocks within help defense but within different contexts.
Julius Randle is sizing up Vince Williams Jr. — a mismatch opportunity for the All-NBA forward. Once Randle picks up his dribble, he seeks separation with the fadeaway jumper. GG Jackson slides his way in the gap to contest and block the shot. Good off-ball awareness.
This block might be the most repeatable sequence, given his potential role with his position and different responsibilities. Jackson is serving as the low-man, sagging off on Jonathan Kuminga. As Curry rounds a corner through the pick-and-roll coverage, he gets downhill, but Jackson is already there for the help defense. He maintains good verticality to block the shot and avoid fouling.
This play won’t pop off the page, since it doesn’t generate a defensive event. However, just look at GG Jackson’s poise defending the drive. Kuminga aggressively charges downhill with an empty corner. Jackson halts the drive and forces Kuminga to pick up his dribble. Kuminga goes for multiple ball fakes to bait the rookie into a foul call, but Jackson didn’t budge and forced him into a contested fadeaway jumper. Again, not flashy or anything, but it’s a heady play from the rookie to not fall for anything to chase a block.
While Jackson has shown scalable traits over the weekend, his creation upside cannot be denied. He hasn’t had many creation opportunities with the main roster. However, he shows more comfort off the dribble than his counterparts at his position.
There’s not a ton of space for Jackson to operate here, as John Konchar and Ziaire Williams — with their defenders — are on the same side. Jackson’s footwork, both on the catch and the drive, was pristine on his way to the bucket. He sizes up Hart and uses his pivot foot to explore the right angle to the bucket. Once he makes his move, he shifts gears quickly to step past the help defense on his way to a layup.
While the scalable elements of his game — complementary scoring and defense — are rock solid, plays like this drive are the ones that leave Grizzlies faithful intrigued, perhaps even mesmerized.
And there are reasons to be enamored with GG Jackson and what he could become.
Jackson is not a traditional 2nd round pick. His stock fell due to character concerns (ones he addressed after getting drafted) after a rough freshman season at South Carolina, where he was tasked with leading a team through SEC competition as a 17 and 18-year old. (And quick, but important, note: his character issues are flabbergasted. He’s still just a kid, and his humility has shined in his interviews recently. His teammates talk about how he’s a joy in the locker room. He’s also a joy to hear in these interviews. Again, he’s a kid.)
In the midst, his talent has always been evident. Rafael Barlowe — a NBA draft analyst and insider for “NBA Big Board” on Substack — believed GG Jackson would’ve been the projected top pick if he didn’t reclassify, with a bet on his scoring upside at his size.
GG Jackson has the tools to fill gaps on this Memphis Grizzlies roster. Fans seek the idea of a “bench bucket-getter” — perhaps an overrated ask, because of staggered lineups — and an optimized Jackson fits that mold better than a smaller combo guard. The Grizzlies have always sought the big wing next to Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane. Asking or suggesting if GG Jackson is the one may be too quick, but depth at the wing position is still important. And what’s cool with Jackson is his potential positional versatility — he can play the 3 in traditional lineups, roll at the 4, or as a small-ball 5 once he puts on more muscle. It allows for optionality, the ability to shift lineups around as chess pieces for adjustments.
The Grizzlies need to tap into GG Jackson’s potential and help him develop towards what he could become these next few months.
Sure, it won’t be as pretty as it was this past weekend at all times. He’s a 19-year old basketball player learning the ropes of the NBA. It’s expected. There will be nights he struggles — inefficient shooting nights, turnovers, lapses on defense. Others though, he’ll provide the upside flashed this past weekend — the shot-making, shot creation, and defensive events.
Nonetheless, GG Jackson’s tools at his age are very apparent. He has the size, scoring arsenal, and defensive upside teams typically covet. With all these injuries going on, now is the time to find out what GG Jackson can work with, so they can gauge his potential fit within the team’s constructs.
And with first impressions, the vision is enticing.
GG Jackson has quickly become a bright spot in this whirlwind of a season, and these next weeks could set the stage for him to become a key fixture in the Grizzlies’ rotation going forward.