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Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. Named NBA Defensive Player of the Year
Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. has been named the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year, the league announced Monday evening.
Jackson Jr., 23, is in his fifth year with Memphis. He was the league's leading shot blocker in 2023, recording a career-high three blocks per game despite scoring in the NBA hitting a 53-year high. His 105.3 defensive rating was also the best in the league as he helped his team to the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.
The other finalists for the award were Bucks center Brook Lopez and Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley.
Jackson Jr. is the second Grizzly to be named the league's Defensive Player of the Year, joining center Marc Gasol in 2013.
The Michigan State product established his defensive prowess in college, winning the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Year award in his only season with the Spartans. After turning pro, Jackson Jr. made the All-Rookie team in 2019 and the All-Defensive team in 2022.
Patrick Andres is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in December 2022, having worked for The Blade, Athlon Sports, Fear the Sword and Diamond Digest. Andres has covered everything from zero-attendance Big Ten basketball to a seven-overtime college football game. He is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism with a double major in history .