Former Michigan State Star Going Scorched Earth on NBA
Former Michigan State Spartans star Jaren Jackson Jr. has gotten off to a start for the ages with the Memphis Grizzlies this NBA season.
Jackson's counting numbers don't really jump off the page, as he is averaging 19.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.3 steals over 28.1 minutes per game.
Solid stats. Cool.
But it's what Jackson is doing in terms of his efficiency that has been breathtaking.
The 25-year-old is shooting 57.8 percent from the floor and 40 percent from 3-point range this year. He also boasts a true-shooting percentage of 65.5 percent.
If it weren't for Jackson oddly struggling from the free-throw line (69.7 percent compared to his career average of 79.3 percent), his efficiency would be even more incredible.
Jackson is a lifetime 46.3 percent shooter, so perhaps his scintillating start is a bit of an aberration. He has only played seven games, after all, so the sample size is very small.
Or maybe the former No. 4 overall pick is finally coming into his own?
Jackson entered the NBA back in 2018 and has been a force for the Grizzlies ever since, winning a Defensive Player of the Year award two years ago and consistently representing a dependable threat offensively.
However, he has really not emerged as an elite offensive player like many hoped. Remember: Jackson evoked Kevin Garnett comparisons coming out of Michigan State, and while he has been solid, he certainly hasn't been KG offensively.
But maybe that's all about to change.
Jackson did average 22.5 points per game last season, which represented a career-high for him. His efficiency left a bit to be desired, though, as he finished with a true-shooting percentage of 55.2 percent, largely due to his inconsistency from long range (32 percent).
The Plainfield, N.J. native has never been a truly reliable three-point shooter, owning a pedestrian career average of 34.5 percent from deep. But perhaps Jackson has found the secret sauce to develop into a legitimate long-range sniper this season.
Jackson already has a 30-point performance under his belt, and he has hit the 20-point mark three times.
We'll see if the former Spartans standout can continue his impressive play as the season progresses.
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