Coming up on the All-Star break, the Memphis Grizzlies comfortably sit with the third-best record in the NBA. Even with this impressive record, only one player will represent the Grizzlies in Cleveland for the 2022 NBA All-Star Game.
Ja Morant was selected as a starter in his first-ever appearance as an All-Star, receiving 166 player votes and over three million fan votes. While his selection is well deserved, it’s a shame Morant is the only representative from Memphis with the way Jaren Jackson Jr. is playing this season.
Jackson received just under 200,000 fan votes and 22 votes from the players and was not even selected as an injury replacement when Draymond Green announced he will not participate in the All-Star Game.
A CASE FOR JACKSON
Jaren is having the best defensive season of his short career and is a candidate for the Defensive Player of the Year Award. Jackson Jr. currently leads the NBA in total blocks (123) and ranks third in the NBA in blocks per game (2.2).
Jackson has only improved defensively as the season has gone on. In the month of January alone, Jackson recorded 53 blocks. He is the first player in franchise history to record 50 blocks in a single month.
Currently, Jackson ranks 11th in defensive rating (105.3) on the seventh-ranked defense in the NBA.
“His defense is incredible right now,” said Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins on Jackson. “What he does every single possession on the defensive end with great communication, great activity, great discipline around the rim, it’s a tone-setter for us.
With the year Jaren Jackson is having defensively, his contributions to Memphis’ current place in the western conference should have solidified a spot in the All-Star game. However, Grizzlies fans will still get to see Ja Morant take flight as an All-Star starter and guard Desmond Bane in the Three-Point Contest.
