Josh Jackson’s time in the NBA hasn’t gone as planned. The 2017 No. 4 overall pick fell out of favor in Phoenix and the team traded him to the Grizzlies over the summer.
Jackson, who doesn’t turn 23 until February 10, has been with the Memphis Hustle all season, though, he was recalled by the Grizzlies today.
The Memphis Grizzlies have recalled Josh Jackson from the NBA G League’s Memphis Hustle.
Jackson has appeared in 26 games for the Hustle this season and has averaged 20.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.5 blocks.
Grayson Allen is out indefinitely with a hip injury, which gave the team a need for an additional healthy body. Jackson has been working hard on his game while remaining patient for his opportunity with the Grizzlies.
“A lot of people ask me, ‘Why are you still playing down here? Why haven’t they called you up?’ ” Jackson told Marc Spears of The Undefeated.
“I’m pretty confident that at some point I will get the call-up and be playing at the next level once again. So, for right now I got to stay focused and keep getting better for that moment.”
The San Diego-native appeared in 156 games during his time with the Suns. He averaged 12.3 points per game while grabbing 4.5 rebounds. Efficiency was a major issue for the forward, however. He made just 41.5% of his shots from the field and his 65.0% clip from the foul line leaves much to be desired.
There are Reasons to Believe Josh Jackson Will Succeed in Memphis
Jackson’s 3-point shooting was not his calling card in Phoenix, though he improved during his two seasons in the league. He shot a dismal 26.3% from the field during his rookie year, following up that by making 32.4% during his sophomore year.
During his time with the Memphis Hustle this season, he made 38.0% of his shots from behind the arc on 6.6 attempts per game. Clearly, the franchise wanted him to work on this part of his game and he’s produced solid results.
“I’m learning a lot down here,” Jackson said of his time in the G League. “I’m gaining confidence. I am working on things that I couldn’t do before. That was like one of the main things that me and the organization talked about in making this decision, was for me to work on a lot of other things.”
Jackson, who was arrested last spring for escape and resisting arrest, is also maturing off the court. He recently addressed the arrest, vowing to be better in the future, telling Spears that he would have done ” a bunch of things” differently if he could go back and do it all over again.
“I will never make the same mistake twice whether on the court or off the court, especially playing,” Jackson said.
The Grizzlies’ upcoming schedule is as follows:
- 1/28 vs. Nuggets
- 1/29 at Knicks
- 1/31 at Pelicans
- 2/3 vs. Pistons
- 2/5 at Memphis
- 2/7 at 76ers
It’s unclear what kind of role coach Taylor Jenkins has in mind for the 22-year-old forward. Although, the overachieving Grizzlies squad is banged up and may have a need for Jackson’s game. In addition to Allen, Bruno Caboclo is sidelined with a bruised knee. Jae Crowder is nursing a sore knee himself and the team remains without Andre Iguodala, who is using up a roster spot while training away from the team.