There might not be a member of the 2018 NBA rookie class with a higher ceiling than Memphis big man Jaren Jackson Jr. Sure, he looked like he was still a work in progress at Michigan State and his time in East Lansing ended in a way that left a bad taste in some people’s mouths (although some will argue that was because of Tom Izzo overcoaching), but you could just tell that when he was on, Jackson had what it takes to be a superstar.
Part of what makes Jackson such a fun prospect is his ability on the defensive end, whether it’s protecting the rim or checking dudes on the perimeter. His offensive game isn’t quite there yet, but the one thing that seems safe to bet on is that Jackson is going to be an effective perimeter shooter.
That was on display on Monday night during Memphis’ first Summer League game against Atlanta. While all eyes were on Hawks rookie Trae Young, it was Jackson whose three-point shooting set the building ablaze, going for 29 points on 8-for-13 shooting in 23 minutes.
Lottery pick @jarenjacksonjr puts in work, going for 29 points (8 3PM) in his #NBASummer debut! pic.twitter.com/zFbSeFmfpe
— NBA Draft (@NBADraft) July 3, 2018
Jackson’s stroke is a bit funky, but as long as he can get his shot off against NBA-level competition, he showed at Michigan State that it’s effective — he connected on 39.6 percent of his 109 attempts from deep in college, and if free throw shooting is indeed an indicator that shooting will translate, Jackson hit 79.7 percent of his shots from the stripe. At 6’11 with a 7’4 wingspan and a high release point, though, being able to get shots off ultimately might not be that big of a concern.
It’s probably safe to bet everything you own that Jackson won’t shoot 61.5 percent from three for his NBA career, but this is still as good of a Summer League debut as the big man could have put forth. Next up, Jackson will get the chance to show if he can follow up on his big first game when the Grizzlies play Utah on Tuesday night.
