Grizzlies Star Named Top-Three 'Most Overrated' NBA Player

Jackson Jr. was very underwhelming in Memphis' first-round playoff series against the OKC Thunder this year, averaging just 16.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.0 steals with 37.9/27.3/85.0 shooting splits through four games.

"He is regarded as a star—and paid like a superstar—but the stat sheet doesn't see it," Buckley continued.

"He is inconsistent in both availability (70-plus games twice, 30-plus minutes once) and impact (negative net differential in four of seven seasons). He isn't much of a ball-handler or a playmaker, so a lot of his value is tied to that defensive ability and floor-spacing. He's almost like a jumbo-sized three-and-D wing, which is helpful to have, but certainly not face-of-the-franchise material."

Of course, the 2022-23 NBA Defensive Player of the Year is a high-impact player, and he might be a tad overpaid after his hefty five-year, $240 million extension, but calling him one of the most "overrated" players in the league is unfair. Sure, he is not as consistently productive as the Grizzlies would likely hope, but he is one of the premier two-way big men in the NBA.