Though a raw talent, the Memphis Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. is showing strong signs of being the second coming of one particular six-time NBA All-Star.
Recently, Beale Street Bears discussed the topic of the Memphis Grizzlies landing their candidate to become the next face of the franchise. Like most other times in franchise history, the team has to depend on the NBA Draft to find star potential.
Though NBA Summer League action is only a sample size of the capabilities of the association’s youngsters, the Memphis Grizzlies know they selected a true gem with the fourth overall Draft pick. It did not take long — the Grizzlies’ first summer league game to be precise — for the world to notice that Jaren Jackson Jr. is the real deal.
The Michigan State product was a top prospect because of his defensive demeanor. It is something that you cannot teach. What the Memphis Grizzlies were not expecting was the offensive onslaught that was displayed by Jackson Jr. through eight games. This included a 29-point torching of the Atlanta Hawks.
It is beginning to look like the best of both worlds for the Grizzlies. Not only did they bring in the best defenseman of the 2018 rookie class, but they may have unleashed one of the best first-year scorers the league will see in 2018-19. Jaren is oozing potential at just 18 years of age.
With any incoming rookies, no matter the year, knee-jerk comparisons are to be made. It seems as if each class has “the next” Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, or Dirk Nowitzki when it comes to frontcourt prototypes.
When making a comparison with Jaren Jackson Jr., it is easy to throw names out there. He is extremely young upon his entrance into the major league NBA. He stands at 6’11.” These facts scream “Garnett,” but there is a more realistic comparison that fits the mold of the defense-first “Triple-J.”
Recently, the Indiana Pacers compiled a highlight video of Jermaine O’Neal‘s best shot swats (directly below) from his eight-year tenure in Indianapolis.
https://twitter.com/pacers/status/1030159174796226561?s=21
Most NBA fans recognize O’Neal from his participation in the infamous “Malice at the Palace.” However, Jermaine was a six-time NBA All-Star and one of the best bigs in the league while donning a Pacers uniform. He earned the honor of being in the running for the league MVP award (recipient of 42.5%) prior to the brawl with the Detroit Pistons. To top it all off, the top-40 all-time (based off defensive win shares) defenseman is a potential future Hall-of-Famer.
In comparison to Jermaine, another 6’11” stud, Jaren Jackson Jr. blocks shots in a way that is very O’Neal-esque. Within perhaps the toughest conference in all of college basketball, Jackson Jr. owned an average of three blocks per game in just 21.8 minutes. Astounding!
As seen below, not only does Jaren swat the shot attempt, but he is a total rim protector. His hands and arms totally capsize foes’ shots. Opponents will become hesitant to enter the painted area versus the Memphis Grizzlies when Jackson Jr. is in the game.
A nice @jarenjacksonjr block compilation for your viewing pleasure. #NBABlockWeek
— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) August 14, 2018
You're welcome 😉 pic.twitter.com/jRStG6SS4n
Offensively, Jermaine O’Neal owned a very unorthodox jump shot, but it was very effective. He became lethal from mid-range during his career. From 15 feet and beyond, O’Neal holds a career-low accuracy of 32.1% and a career-high mark of 46.7. By far his most impressive season, 2003-04 was a showcase of 125 jumpers made from 15+ feet on 38.7% accuracy. JO had offensive range, but it came to a halt at the three-point stripe.
This is where Jaren Jackson Jr.’s game can flourish. He can shoot the mid-range “J” and he has already shown that he can step beyond three-point land to nail long-range bombs. Jaren connected on one triple per game in his freshman year at MSU and collectively shot 39.6% from deep. Shooting from distance is already within his game. This is a huge benefit to the Memphis Grizzlies, especially his veteran teammate, Marc Gasol, who also developed his game over the last few years to assist his squad in spacing the floor with improved offense.
Jaren has a leg up on Jermaine by being NBA-ready upon entering the league at 18 years of age. O’Neal entered the league slightly younger and was exceptionally raw. He was looking like a bust of a talent until a trade moved him from Portland to Indiana in August of 2000. Had this right situation not come along, the name “Jermaine O’Neal” would not be remembered by today’s NBA fans.
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One thing Jermaine O’Neal did not have by age 18 was one year of college basketball under his belt. Jaren Jackson Jr. is entering the NBA with one year of Tom Izzo’s teachings ingrained in his mind, which will undoubtedly propel him to a successful leap to the professional level of hoops. Izzo is a mastermind at developing big man prospects — just look at Zach Randolph and Draymond Green.
It will take a few years to begin to determine if Jaren Jackson Jr. was worth the fourth overall pick. For now, he has shown strong signs of future success by dominating the summer league competition. In the process, he has shown flashes of Jermaine O’Neal, a six-time NBA All-Star and the former face of the Indiana Pacers franchise. In a few seasons, the Memphis Grizzlies may very well see “Triple J” leading the way in similar fashion.
Go Grizz!