Natural Ability Means the Time to Thrive is Now for GG Jackson

The story of GG Jackson’s path to the NBA is well-known.

A mixture of successes and struggles as a highly touted high school recruit and collegiate ball player made him a very interesting prospect when the Grizzlies drafted him 45th overall in the 2023 draft. But the key for Zach Kleiman and the Grizzlies drafting Jackson, whose draft profile was outside of the norm for Memphis’s usual draft targets, was the sincerity and commitment Jackson showed to make the most of his natural ability despite a less than ideal year in college.

That commitment and effort stood out nearly every time Jackson stepped on the court in the G-league. It was clear from day one that his natural ability belonged in the NBA; however, it was made clear from the day he was drafted that Jackson would have to earn his opportunity. That opportunity likely arrived earlier than many expected out of necessity this week due to all the injuries across the Grizzlies roster. But as Jackson had done all season with the Hustle, he has immediately stood out in back to back games as a part of the Grizzlies rotation.

Currently, Jackson is the youngest player in the NBA. But what has made him instantly successful in both the G-league and now the NBA when featured is a clear level of comfort playing at a highly productive level that is rare for his age. The natural ability of Jackson to make impactful plays on both offense and defense is not a skill set frequently shared among his peers. And with that ability, Jackson can make the most of any moment he may come across when on the court.

But how has this “natural ability” allowed Jackson to generate instant success that has alluded others on the Grizzlies roster? And what about Jackson’s performances offer encouragement that he can sustain a high level of production? Let’s take a look:

Confident Self-Creation

A highly intriguing aspect of Jackson’s game has not only been his ability to score, but at his size, an ability to score off effective self-creation. Jackson showed this on two different occasions against the Knicks. In the first instance, Jackson was matched up against Josh Hart, and went with a methodical “poke and prod” approach to pick the right time to drive. Once he got Hart off-balance for a split second, Jackson drove with confidence to the block for a shot. To Hart’s credit, the look was not as clean as Jackson had hoped. However, Jackson’s ability to maintain his body control allowed for him to still create a good look at convert it.

As for the second opportunity, Jackson was matched up against Isaiah Hartenstein. As a result, Jackson proved to be direct and decisive instead of methodical. His used his ball-handling to setup Hartenstein for an easy Eurostep opportunity and easily converted his shot. Jackson immediately identified the mismatch and went to work with quick and effective movements that led to an easy bucket.

Jackson’s ability to get a capable defender off-balance for just a split second to find a driving lane on one play while immediately exploiting a mismatch isolation opportunity on another shows that his self-creation can be successful in multiple forms. That is quite rare at Jackson’s age, but also shows that he does not have to rely on the efforts of others as much as his peers do to find success. This allows for his scoring potential to be quite intriguing now and into the future.

Off-Ball Awareness

While the self-creation upside of Jackson is certainly intriguing when he has the ball in his hands, the fact that he can add value as a finisher off the ball adds another effective element to his game. This comes as a result of Jackson maintaining awareness of what is going on with the ball while effectively positioning him as a finishing option.

In the first clip, after it appeared the Grizzlies had committed a turnover, Jackson easily could have run back to play defense. However, when he saw that no one had truly controlled the ball, he stayed put and became an passing option once Ziaire Williams gained possession. The end result was a quick dunk and unexpected two points for Memphis. On the second play referenced above, Jackson maintains eye contact on the ball being moved up the court. As he is doing this, he goes to the corner of the court to create ample space for a lob opportunity. That is exactly what transpires, with a highlight reel dunk being the end result.

Jackson’s ability to remain aware of the play while knowing how to make himself a finishing option is huge when it comes to his potential to play with the Grizzlies best players. Between Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr., Jackson may have a lower usage role in the future as he becomes part of the rotation. Therefore, showing value as an off-ball passing and finishing option is a great way for Jackson to compliment the Grizzlies best players.

Maintaining composure in the moment

This is probably my favorite instance of Jackson to date, as it shows just how confident and comfortable Jackson with his ability even in chaotic moments. With the clock shot winding down, the Grizzlies move the ball around to find Jackson in the corner for what looked like an open three since Randle moved away to help at the rim.

However, Jackson was aware that Miles McBride was coming to contest his shot. As a counter, Jackson immediately caught the ball and maneuvered to the right to create space and cause McBride to get off-balance. Jackson was able to quickly gather his shooting form for a good look and made the shot. Jackson creating a better look for himself so quickly and smoothly as the shot clock was nearing zero shows his ability to maintain focus even in the midst of chaos. That is a huge need for the Grizzlies when it comes to shot making, and a trait that will be a big advantage for Jackson as defenses pay more attention to him in the future.

Second Chance Success

Jackson’s scoring ability is clearly the first thing that stands out when it comes to his skill set. But another impressive trait he possesses is on the offensive boards. Jackson is one of just four G-leaguers who have averaged 20+ points and 2+ offensive rebounds per game this season (min. 15 combined regular season + showcase games.)

Jackson has also now displayed that ability at the NBA level, both through trailing another teammate’s drive for an easy put back (first clip) and using good positioning for another easy bucket off a missed three (second clip). The Grizzlies have had their issues all season when it comes to rebounding, but with Vince Williams Jr. and now Jackson, added rebounding production from the wing will be more than welcome. This is especially true with Jackson’s ability to create second chance opportunities on the offensive glass.

Reliable Shooting Outlet

When it comes to Jackson’s potential as a scorer, his self-creation upside is highly encouraging. However, perhaps even more exciting is the different ways Jackson has shown he can contribute as a scorer. Along with self-creation, his ability off the ball as a cutter and finisher and also through offensive rebounds shows how resourceful Jackson already is at such a young age. But what continues to separate Jackson’s upside from most of his peers is his ability as a spot up shooter.

On Monday, Jackson became the second youngest player in league history with 5+ made threes in a game (only LeBron James did it at a younger age.) But even more impressive was the fact that all five of the made threes were contested. Despite the efforts of the defense, Jackson showed his unique ability of quickly and seamlessly loading his shooting form to an effective release point that his very hard to contest at its peak. This has allowed Jackson to hit threes from many different places around the arc, showing that he can effectively act as a movement shooter in time. And just as his cutting ability allows for him to be a good passing option for finishes, the potential he is showing as a spot-up shooter allows for him to be a reliable passing option on the perimeter for threes.

Defensive Playmaking

While the offensive production of Jackson will impress many at his age, he has also made an early impact as a defensive playmaker. Jackson has produced four blocks and two steals over the past two games, showing good awareness and instinct that is leading to extra possessions and transition opportunities for the Grizzlies.

His blocks have come from being both an effective help defender and serving as a rim protector, as he has denied shots from both Julius Randle and Steph Curry. He also has been effective in passing lanes, intercepting a pass from Curry that could have been an open look from three for Klay Thompson. Jackson’s ability to both protect the rim and play the passing lanes shows his defensive versatility and that he can be utilized in multiple ways with in the Grizzlies team defense. This means Jackson can add value in multiple lineup looks through the game.

The overall effort from Jackson over the past two games has been outstanding. His immense upside has been on full display, and he has produced results that only players such as LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Kobe Bryant have previously done at his age or younger in an NBA game. While no one is suggesting that Jackson will come close to that level of player, it is hard to deny that his upside is that of a player that can be a difference maker. And as seen above, the reason why is because Jackson has so many different ways he can impact the game on any given night

The key for Jackson is now figuring out how to use that resourcefulness to continue thriving off the momentum of these past two games. Taylor Jenkins mentioned that Jackson will continue to get opportunities due to his success, but opposing defenses will put more effort into preventing Jackson from having success. This will likely mean Jackson will have plenty of struggles along with successes. But just as he did in the G-league, the attention will give Jackson the opportunity to continue evolving his game. And this will allow for him to know how to continue to add value even when opposing defenses cause him difficulty.

So while a two game sample size should be kept in context, Jackson has provided clear proof his future will be exciting to witness. And as time goes on, the evolution of Jackson’s natural ability could provide the Grizzlies roster with yet another needed asset that will help it make the most of its future.