Memphis Grizzlies rookie forward GG Jackson put on a show against Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors on Monday. Jackson finished with a career-high 23 points, six rebounds, two steals, two blocks and five 3-pointers on 66.7% shooting as Memphis secured a 116-107 home victory.
Following the game, the relatively unknown rookie’s impressive performance left fans searching for more information about him.
Who is Memphis’ latest sensation, GG Jackson?
So, who exactly is the youngster who helped an extremely shorthanded Grizzlies team take down the 2022 champs, and where did he come from?
After spending one season at South Carolina last season, GG Jackson was selected No. 45 by Memphis in the second round of the 2023 NBA draft. He then competed with the Grizzlies in the 2023 NBA Summer League before inking a two-way contract with the team in August.
Jackson has since split his time between Memphis and its NBA G League affiliate, the Memphis Hustle. His playing time with the Grizzlies had been extremely limited to start his career. He played fewer than 10 minutes in five of his first six games.
However, with Memphis shorthanded, he has been thrust into a larger role lately, playing at least 27 minutes in each of his past two games.
Jackson thrived in both contests, recording 20 points, six rebounds, two blocks and two 3s on 64.3% shooting against the New York Knicks on Saturday. He followed that up with his aforementioned second 20-plus point performance against the Warriors on Monday.
Through eight games, Jackson is averaging 6.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, 0.4 assists, 0.4 steals, 0.6 blocks and 1.1 3-pointers per game on 47.5% shooting.
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GG Jackson makes NBA history vs Warriors
With his second consecutive 20-point game on Monday, GG Jackson made NBA history. He became the third-youngest player to score at least 20 points in consecutive games, at just 19 years and 30 days old.
Per @StatSAC on X, formerly Twitter, the only players to achieve the milestone at a younger age are superstars forwards LeBron James and Kevin Durant.
Following Monday’s win over Golden State, Jackson attributed his recent success to always staying ready for his next opportunity.
“I watched the film from last game, studied where I’m supposed to be on the floor, and I just gotta capitalize on the opportunity when the ball comes my way,” Jackson said.
Jackson’s standout play caught the attention of Steph Curry, who shared a message with him after the game.
“That was a cool moment that we shared together,” Jackson said. “But his message was to keep going, I’m young in this league, and there’s a lot out there for me.”
It remains to be seen if GG Jackson can keep up his strong play. However, given Memphis’ plethora of injuries, including star point guard Ja Morant’s season-ending shoulder injury, he should have plenty more opportunities moving forward.
