The Memphis Grizzlies have a deep rotation and a surplus of promising young players just waiting to break out. Among those talented individuals is GG Jackson, who could become a starting-caliber player if he can address some of his flaws and refine his strengths. Chief among the question marks is his jump shot.
Though it’s only preseason, Jackson is planting the seeds for a vastly improved output from beyond the arc by seemingly figuring out how to shoot in an NBA environment.
Jackson turned in an exciting 2025-26 campaign during which he looked the part of a potential pillar of the Grizzlies organization. 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.
Jackson's already solid numbers translate to captivating marks of 21.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 0.9 steals per 36 minutes.
The numbers tell a fairly accurate story of what went well for him. Unfortunately, they also reveal what went wrong—particularly when one looks at the fact that he shot 33.2 percent from beyond the arc just one year after burying 33.7 percent of his attempts.
Though Jackson seems to have just about everything but a jump shot he can rely on, realizing his potential and maximizing his value to the Grizzlies will require him to improve. Thankfully, he seems to be doing so.
GG Jackson is knocking down threes with confidence, efficiency
It's only preseason and it's only been three games. Now that that's out of the way, Jackson is shooting better than anticipated. That started when he scored 14 points in 16 minutes while shooting 5-of-7 from the field and 2-of-4 from beyond the arc.
The next time out, Jackson seemed to prove it wasn't the fluke some feared it might've been when he scored 15 points in 14 minutes while going 3-of-5 from three-point range.
In his most recent game, Jackson tallied 14 points in 17 minutes while shooting 1-of-3 from distance. Though that isn't necessarily as explosive or efficient a shooting performance as he managed in his first two games, it displayed a commitment to prioritizing his three-ball as an asset.
Jackson is also proving to know what to do when defenses attempt to adapt and take the shot away from him, as he's readily attacking hasty closeouts and proving he can still work inside for offense.
GG Jackson's unique game is being rounded out by an efficient 3
If Jackson continues to shoot this well, he should have no trouble playing next to Cameron Boozer and thus securing an elevated role in the rotation. That would certainly behoove the Grizzlies, as Jackson is one of the most compelling young players in the NBA.
At just 21 years of age, Jackson is already one of the most versatile defenders in the NBA and a high-level finisher. Adding a consistent jumper would make it difficult to keep him off the court.
Per Basketball Index, Jackson finished the 2025-26 season ranked in the 97th percentile in defensive positional versatility. He also ranked in the 98th percentile in rim shot creation and the 88th percentile in rim shot efficiency. The key to Memphis benefiting from those traits, however, is the refinement of areas of weakness that limit his overall impact.
That starts with Jackson knocking down open shots with more efficiency. If the preseason is a sign of things to come, then he's prepared to do exactly that.
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