GG Jackson is making the kind of preseason statement the Grizzlies have to love.
Memphis already has a crowded mix of young talent, and Jackson is one of the names in that group with real starter-level upside if he can smooth out the rough edges. The biggest one has always been the jumper. If that shot comes around, so does a much bigger role.
So far, he’s doing his part to make that happen.
Through three preseason games, Jackson has looked far more comfortable taking and making threes in an NBA setting. He opened with 14 points in 16 minutes, hitting 5-of-7 overall and 2-of-4 from deep.
In his next outing, he followed that with 15 points in 14 minutes while knocking down 3-of-5 attempts from three-point range. In his most recent game, he put up 14 points in 17 minutes and went 1-of-3 from distance.
That last line isn’t as eye-catching as the first two, but it still fits the same theme: Jackson is clearly willing to let the three-ball be part of his game, not just a side note.
And when defenders start reacting to it, he’s already showing the next layer. Jackson has been attacking hard closeouts and finding ways to score inside when teams try to run him off the line.
That’s the kind of development Memphis is watching closely because Jackson already has a lot to work with. In the 2025-26 season, he averaged 12.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.8 blocks, and 0.6 steals in 21.4 minutes per game while shooting 49.6 percent from the field. On a per-36 basis, those numbers jump to 21.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 0.9 steals.
The catch was the perimeter shot. Jackson hit just 33.2 percent from beyond the arc, one year after making 33.7 percent of his attempts from deep. That’s the piece that has kept his game from fully taking off.
Even so, the rest of the profile is hard to ignore. At 21, Jackson has already established himself as one of the NBA’s more versatile defenders and a strong finisher around the rim. Basketball Index ranked him in the 97th percentile in defensive positional versatility, the 98th percentile in rim shot creation, and the 88th percentile in rim shot efficiency.
If the jumper settles in, the rest of the package gets a lot more dangerous. Memphis has a player who can defend, finish, and punish mistakes.
What it needs now is for the open looks to keep going down. The early preseason signs suggest Jackson is headed in that direction.
In Other News...
Warriors Just Made A Tough Roster Call Fans Will Debate
The Warriors are reshuffling the back end of their roster again, moving on from guard Miles Kelly and bringing in free agent forward Tyler Burton, according to an official team statement. Kelly had flashed in a preseason game, but Golden State chose to create room for Burton, who will get a chance to compete for a roster spot as the preseason roster battle tightens.
Burton is a familiar name to Memphis followers because he previously spent time with the Grizzlies on two 10-day contracts, so there is at least a local tie to this latest move. For Golden State, the decision keeps the focus on fit and flexibility, and it leaves another end-of-roster competition in motion as teams continue trimming toward opening night. [Read more 🡒]
Cam Boozer Is Already Giving Grizzlies Fans Real Rebuild Hope
Cameron Boozer entered the league as the No. 3 pick, and the early buzz around him has already given Memphis fans something tangible to lean on in a rebuild. Sportsbooks have him lined up as a leading Rookie of the Year candidate, a sign that the expectations are not just about talent, but about opportunity, too, with Boozer projected to play a meaningful role right away for a Grizzlies team trying to reset its direction.
For Memphis, the appeal goes beyond one preseason betting board. A rookie who is expected to carry real weight can speed up the feel-good part of a rebuild, especially when the franchise is looking for its next core piece. The Grizzlies have seen this movie before, too, and while those comparisons only go so far, Boozers landing spot has already made him one of the more interesting first-year names to watch in the league. [Read more 🡒]
Grizzlies Still Have A Surprising West Ceiling After Their Reset
After moving on from Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis is heading into the 2026-27 season with a very different identity. The roster now leans on young pieces like Cameron Boozer and Zach Edey, while veterans Ty Jerome and Jerami Grant give the group some stability as the Grizzlies try to rebuild without drifting into a full teardown.
The challenge in the West is obvious, especially with the league's newer anti-tanking rules making it harder for teams to simply punt a season. Still, there is enough intrigue here to suggest Memphis may not be starting from the bottom after all, with development, health and frontcourt growth all shaping where this reset lands once the standings tighten up. [Read more 🡒]