As the Memphis Grizzlies face off against the Houston Rockets for their fourth and final meeting of the regular season, a certain star player received more recognition. Jaren Jackson Jr., who is coming off winning the Western Conference Player of the Week, made the NBA All-Star team as a reserve.
Another trip to the ASG for JJJ 😤
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) January 30, 2025
Jaren Jackson Jr. is an #NBAAllStar! pic.twitter.com/6peAbUI32S
The acknowledgment marked Jaren Jackson Jr.'s second All-Star game nod, his first since the 2022-23 season when he also won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award. Jaren has recorded 20+ points on 50% shooting in five consecutive games, tying his career-best steak.
He also continues to lead the Grizzlies in scoring (22.8), steals (1.4), and blocks (1.6) as the most consistent player on the team for the last two seasons. Jaren Jackson Jr.'s ascension began last season when he averaged a then-career-high of 22.5 points and played the most amount of games for a team riddled with injuries (66 games).
Interestingly enough, Jaren has become a reliable player when it comes to health after beginning his career with a question mark in that department that led to his current contract being a bargain. After a torn meniscus forced him to miss 61 of the Grizzlies' 72-game COVID-19-shortened season during 2020-21 and a broken foot that caused him to miss the first 14 games of the 2022-23 season, Jaren has remained relatively healthy.
He has played 174 of a possible 197 games since returning from the broken foot injury and is now a two-time All-Star and in the running for Defensive Player of the Year once again. He will be the Grizzlies' only All-Star, as teammate Ja Morant missed out on a nod this season.
Jaren Jackson Jr.'s rise on the offensive end of the basketball court has launched him into one of the NBA's better two-way players and his evolving game has steadied the Grizzlies this season throughout the injuries suffered by his teammates. He has seven games of 30+ points and four double-doubles this season.
With the Grizzlies sitting in third in the Western Conference standings, someone had to make the team and no one was more deserving than Jackson Jr. Although he won't be joined by Ja Morant this go-around, he does have the possibility to face off against rookie teammates Jaylen Wells and/or Zach Edey with the new All-Star format.
As one of the best teams in the NBA, the Grizzlies will be well-represented during NBA All-Star weekend. The new format gives a new level of intrigue that hasn't existed before, but it will be interesting to see if Jaren can play against Wells and/or Edey.