Jackson compares favorably
How No. 4 overall pick stacks up to every rookie in Grizzlies history
Dallas Mavericks’ point forward Luka Doncic earned this season’s first Western Conference Rookie of the Month honor, which was handed out Monday.
But you won’t find many Grizzlies fans complaining about the performance of their rookie.
Jaren Jackson Jr., who was picked fourth overall (one spot behind Doncic), is turning heads across the NBA.
Former Grizzlies coach and current New York Knicks coach David Fizdale called Jackson a “future All-Star” after the Knicks won in Memphis last Sunday. That was before Jackson scored 36 points a double-overtime road win at the Nets.
Sports Illustrated’s Andrew Sharp
Fourth player in NBA history to reach 250 points, 20 steals and 40 blocks in his first 20 career games (David Robinson, Patrick Ewing and Bill Walton)
Scored career-high 36 points against Nets on Nov. 30. LeBron James is the only player in league history to score as many in a game at a younger age suggested Monday that Jackson “could be the best prospect to hit the NBA in five years.”
In Memphis, there is little doubt that Jackson is the team’s best rookie since Marc Gasol and O.J. Mayo each averaged double figures in their inaugural campaigns a decade ago.
The Commercial Appeal examined the numbers of every Grizzlies rookie through 22 games since the franchise moved to Memphis.
A few things stuck out about Jackson’s impressive start.
❚ Only Pau Gasol averaged more blocks through his first 22 games as a Grizzlies rookie.
Gasol’s 2.2 block per game average came in 8.5 more minutes per game than the 25.7 minutes per game Jackson
❚