Ja Morant puts NBA on notice about Grizzlies rookie: 'Just wait'
After consecutive 50-win seasons that saw them notch the second seed in the Western Conference, the Grizzlies are undergoing a gap year due to injuries.
After missing the first 25 games of the season due to a suspension, Ja Morant played in only nine contests before suffering a season-ending hand injury. Desmond Bane — the team's second-leading scorer over the past two years — has missed a large chunk of games with a Grade 3 left ankle sprain. Even the Grizzlies' big offseason acquisition, Marcus Smart, has remained sidelined with a finger injury.
As the Grizzlies core hibernates, several unproven players have been getting playing time under coach Taylor Jenkins. Among them is rookie GG Jackson II, who has most definitely seized his opportunity. Since the All-Star break, the 19-year-old forward is averaging 17.2 points and 4.1 rebounds in less than 30 minutes per game. In a nationally televised game against the Warriors on Wednesday, Jackson showed flashes of his potential with a 35-point performance that included seven threes.
The South Carolina product became the youngest player in NBA history to make seven triples in a game. Watching from afar, Morant put the NBA on notice about what's to come when the Grizzlies get healthy.
At 6 feet, 9 inches, Jackson can play either forward position for the Grizzlies next year, possibly as part of an intriguing small-ball unit alongside Morant, Bane, Smart, and Jaren Jackson Jr. If everything comes together, the Grizzlies could be a force to be reckoned with next year.
Morant isn't the only one excited for Jackson's future. Warriors guard Chris Paul, who mentored Jackson as part of his AAU team in South Carolina, was proud to see his mentee shine under the bright lights Wednesday.
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