Receiving acknowledgement of any All-NBA teams in any form, whether it's a rookie team, defensive team, or one of the three All-NBA teams, is an accomplishment. The Memphis Grizzlies now have three players to make one of those teams after Jaren Jackson Jr. made the NBA All-Defensive second team.
That announcement followed the NBA All-Rookie teams announcement that included first team acknowledgements for Zach Edey and Jaylen Wells. Jaren Jackson Jr. has now added a third NBA All-Defensive team nod to his resume that included two All-Defensive first team nods and a Defensive Player of the Year award.
After being touted as the favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year when Spurs center Victor Wembanyama was ruled out for the season in February, Jackson Jr. fell to seventh in the final votes after the Grizzlies' defensive freefall in the second half of the season. While adding another All-Defensive team accolade is something to be proud of, it might mean Jaren's ultimate goal won't become a reality.
No NBA All-Defensive Second Team has made an All-NBA team since 2021
A lot is at stake for Jaren Jackson Jr. as everyone awaits the announcement of the three All-NBA teams. With the All-Rookie teams, MVP award, and All-Defensive teams being announced this week, the All-NBA teams figure to be announced at the end of this week.
However, the last player(s) to be named to an All-NBA team after being named to the NBA All-Defensive second team are Jimmy Butler and Joel Embiid following the 2020-21 season. While it felt more common during that timeframe, a three-year gap of that happening doesn't bode well for Jackson Jr.
Jaren Jackson Jr. entered this season with two years remaining on his team-friendly deal, with an average declining salary of $26.1 million of his rookie contract extension. Due to the NBA's CBA (collective bargaining agreement), Jaren would become eligible to sign a five-year, $345 million super max extension if he makes an All-NBA team.
Winning MVP or Defensive Player of the Year would've qualified him too, but that didn't happen, and making an All-NBA team was always his likeliest scenario. After leading the Grizzlies in scoring, steals, and blocks during the team's first 59 games, a five-game absence due to an ankle injury set him back, along with the team's 12-16 record post-All-Star break.
He finished his final 15 games after returning from that injury, averaging 20 points on 45% shooting. While that wasn't a huge drop-off from his 22.2 points on 48.8% shooting in his first 56 games of the season before the injury that led to an All-Star appearance, team performance will likely be taken into account for the All-NBA teams.