Jaren Jackson Jr. has quietly become one of the most accomplished NBA products to come out of Michigan State during the Tom Izzo era - and he’s still just 26 years old. Now in his eighth season, Jackson has already checked off some major boxes: an All-Star appearance, a Defensive Player of the Year award, and a growing reputation as one of the league’s most versatile big men. But if there’s been one consistent hurdle in his career, it’s staying on the floor.
Durability has been the lingering question mark for Jackson. In his eight seasons, he’s cracked the 70-game mark only twice.
That said, he's trending in the right direction this year. Through two months of action, he’s missed just three games - a promising sign for a player whose impact is felt on both ends of the court.
If he continues at this pace, he’s poised to log his fifth straight season with at least 65 games played, which would be a meaningful step in proving he can be a reliable, season-long anchor for the Grizzlies.
Jackson came into the league as a top-tier prospect, selected fourth overall by Memphis in the same draft class that saw fellow Spartan Miles Bridges go in the lottery. And from the jump, Jackson made it clear why he was taken so high. He’s been a defensive game-changer with a rare blend of length, timing, and agility - the kind of player who can guard the rim and switch onto guards without blinking.
But this season’s been a bit of a mixed bag. While the good news is that he’s healthy and logging heavy minutes, the numbers haven’t quite followed.
Jackson is averaging 18 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game - all of which are down compared to recent years. His scoring is at its lowest since the 2021-22 season, his rebounding numbers haven’t been this low since 2019-20, and his block average is tied for the lowest mark of his career, matching his rookie season.
So what’s going on?
It’s not that Jackson’s playing poorly - far from it. He’s still one of the most skilled and impactful young bigs in the game.
But with the Grizzlies dealing with roster instability and injury issues, Jackson has been asked to do a lot. He’s logging the third-most minutes of his career and taking the third-most shots.
That kind of workload can take a toll, especially when you’re also expected to be the defensive anchor and a primary scoring option.
And with Ja Morant only recently returning to action, Jackson has had to carry the load more often than not. That kind of pressure can lead to some pressing - forcing shots, overextending on defense - and it may be showing up in the stat sheet.
Still, the foundation is there. Jackson’s skill set hasn’t changed.
He’s still a stretch big who can protect the rim, run the floor, and space the court on offense.
The key for Jackson moving forward is consistency - both in terms of health and production. If he can stay on the court and find a rhythm with Morant and the rest of the Grizzlies’ core, there’s every reason to believe his numbers will bounce back in the second half of the season.
This could still be a big year for Jackson. He’s got the tools, the experience, and now - finally - a clean bill of health. If he can keep that up, don’t be surprised if he reminds everyone why he was once called a unicorn.