Memphis Grizzlies star big man Jaren Jackson Jr. has been officially ruled out of winning the 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year award.
The NBA announced three finalists for the award given to the best defensive player in the NBA this season during the April 17 broadcast of TNT’s NBA Tip-Off.
Mikal Bridges of the Phoenix Suns, Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz, and Marcus Smart of the Boston Celtics are the three players who are up for the award.
Memphis Grizzlies F Jaren Jackson Jr. snubbed as finalist for NBA DPOY
Jaren Jackson Jr., who led the NBA in total blocks and blocks per game during the 2021-22 regular season was not one of the three finalists for the prestigious award, which is a total slap in the face.
Jackson has been one of the best defensive players in the NBA all season long. Even in the playoffs, Jackson recorded 7 blocks in the Game 1 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Michigan State product averaged an NBA-best 2.3 blocks per game. He totaled an NBA-best 177 blocks this season, setting a new franchise record in the process for most blocks in a single season.
2021-22 NBA Awards finalists: pic.twitter.com/CmpAs7tquF
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 17, 2022
Jackson swatted 40 more shots than finalist Gobert did this season. His defensive play is a big reason why the Memphis Grizzlies finished with the second-best record in the entire league this season.
Smart and Bridges led the NBA in no statistical categories, further adding to the absurdity of Jackson’s exclusion. At least Gobert led the league in defensive rebounding (11.0 per game).
Despite Ja Morant and the rest of his teammates lobbying for his inclusion in the DPOY award, Jackson will not be taking home the hardware this year.
Perhaps his exclusion will add a chip to his shoulders to help the Grizzlies out of the 0-1 hole they’ve put themselves in against the Minnesota Timberwolves in round one of the 2022 NBA Playoffs.