LeBron James heaps praise on Grizzlies wing GG Jackson: 'Gotten better and better'
By Mark Nilon
Throughout the 2023-24 campaign, rookie GG Jackson has proven himself to be one of the top players this Memphis Grizzlies team has had to offer on a nightly basis.
From his scoring prowess to his on-court confidence, it seems that with every passing day the wing is improving his overall game, and, following the club's latest bout against the Los Angeles Lakers, it appears that superstar LeBron James shares this same sentiment, as he heaped praise upon the youngster during a postgame interview.
LeBron James praises growth of Memphis Grizzlies rookie GG Jackson
"Ever since he's been playing he's gotten better and better. I had an opportunity to watch him a lot at Peach Jam a couple of years ago playing for Team CP3 [and] I felt like he was one of the best players at Peach Jam that year... He's gotten better and better every time he's stepped out on the floor for this [Grizzlies] ball club and it's good for him to get this experience early on in his career."
- LeBron James
On top of the excitement that such complementary chatter creates among the fanbase, it likely has double the effect for the Grizzlies youngster, as Jackson has previously gone on record to note his fandom for the likes of James, highlighting the "appreciation" he has for him and what he's done for the younger generation now in the league.
Though the Grizzlies have already played the Lakers on three total occasions this year, Wednesday's bout marked the first time Jackson actually managed to square off against James, and, in 28 minutes, he went on to register 10 points and 4 rebounds.
Despite his somewhat underwhelming box score compared to his typical production, along with the fact that Memphis fell by a final score of 136-124, the rookie told reporters post-game that the Lakers star was "proud of me."
This isn't the first time Jackson has received praise and kind words from veteran stars across the association, as Chris Paul -- his former AAU coach -- voiced how "fulfilling" it is to see the forward playing so well at the professional level.
Frankly, with the way he's been playing, it likely won't be the last either.