Defensive Player of the Year — the most dominant shot-blocker of his generation and Memphis' anchor.
Jaren Jackson Jr. was born in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1999. Memphis Grizzlies selected him fourth overall in the 2018 NBA Draft after one season at Michigan State. His career has produced averages of 20.1 points per game and two All-Star appearances along with the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2023. He won the award by averaging 4.7 blocks per game in 2022-23 — the highest blocks average in the NBA since Dikembe Mutombo in the late 1990s. He was named to the All-NBA Defensive First Team twice. His combination of 6ft 11in height, 7ft 4in wingspan and elite shot-blocking ability makes him the most physically intimidating defensive presence of his generation. His offensive game — featuring a reliable three-pointer, post scoring and mid-range pull-up — makes him genuinely difficult to ignore defensively. Persistent knee injuries disrupted his first several seasons. He and Ja Morant form the core of the Memphis Grizzlies' young contending nucleus. His defensive impact — opponents shoot 17 percentage points lower at the rim when he is the nearest defender — is among the most pronounced in the league.
Elite rim protection and versatile defensive abilities
How They Played
Rim-protecting big man with perimeter shooting ability
Lasting Impact
Defensive anchor who transformed Memphis Grizzlies into contender
Defensive Player of the Year (2023)
Career Honours
- Defensive Player of the Year (2023)
- All-Star 2x
- All-NBA Defensive First Team 2x