Jaren Jackson Jr. facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Jackson with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2022
No. 13 – Memphis Grizzlies
Power forward / center
Personal information
Born	(1999-09-15) September 15, 1999 (age 25) Plainfield, New Jersey, U.S.
High school	Park Tudor (Indianapolis, Indiana) La Lumiere School (La Porte, Indiana)
Listed height	6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight	242 lb (110 kg)
Career information
College	Michigan State (2017–2018)
NBA Draft	2018 / Round: 1 / Pick: 4th overall
Selected by the Memphis Grizzlies
Pro career	2018–present
League	NBA
Career history
2018–present	Memphis Grizzlies
Career highlights and awards
NBA All-Star (2023) NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2023) 2× NBA All-Defensive First Team (2022, 2023) NBA All-Rookie First Team (2019) 2× NBA blocks leader (2022, 2023) Third-team All-Big Ten (2018) Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year (2018) Big Ten Freshman of the Year (2018) Big Ten All-Freshman Team (2018) McDonald's All-American (2017)

Jaren Walter Jackson Jr. (born September 15, 1999) is an American professional basketball player. He is often called "the Block Panther" or JJJ. Jaren plays for the Memphis Grizzlies in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

He played college basketball for the Michigan State Spartans. The Memphis Grizzlies chose Jaren as the fourth overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft. In 2023, he became an NBA All-Star for the first time. That same season, he won the Defensive Player of the Year award. Jaren is known for his amazing defense, especially for blocking shots. He has led the league in blocks per game for two years in a row!

Early Life and High School Career

Jaren Walter Jackson Jr. was born on September 15, 1999, in Plainfield, New Jersey.

Jaren started his high school basketball journey at Park Tudor School in Indianapolis. He played on the varsity team for three years. During this time, he averaged 10 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game. Jaren helped Park Tudor win two IHSAA state basketball championships. He was teammates with Trevon Bluiett, who also became a professional basketball player.

For his senior year, Jaren moved to La Lumiere School in La Porte, Indiana. There, he played alongside Jordan Poole on the varsity squad.

Becoming a Top Recruit

Jaren Jackson Jr. was seen as one of the best young players in the 2017 graduating class. Many sports websites ranked him very highly. For example, ESPN ranked him 8th among all players in his class. He was invited to play in the McDonald's All-American Game on March 29, 2017. This game features the best high school basketball players in the country.

Jaren was wanted by many top college basketball programs. These included Michigan State, Notre Dame, Butler, and Indiana.

College Career at Michigan State

On September 15, 2016, Jaren Jackson Jr. decided to play college basketball for Tom Izzo at Michigan State. He officially signed his commitment on November 9, 2016.

Jaren played his first college game on November 10, 2017. He scored 13 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. Michigan State won that game easily against North Florida. A few days later, he scored 19 points against the top-ranked Duke team.

He showed his defensive skills early on. On December 5, Jaren blocked 8 shots in a win against Rutgers. This was a career-high for him at the time. He also had 17 points and 13 rebounds in a big win over Southern Utah.

Later in the season, Jaren scored 21 points, had 11 rebounds, and blocked 6 shots against Illinois. On February 13, he scored a career-high 27 points in a dominant win over Minnesota.

At the end of the college season, Jaren received many awards. He was named the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year. He was also part of the Big Ten's All-Freshman Team. On April 2, Jaren decided to enter the 2018 NBA draft. Many people thought he would be one of the first players chosen.

Professional Career with the Memphis Grizzlies

Starting Years (2018–2021)

On June 21, 2018, the Memphis Grizzlies picked Jaren Jackson Jr. as the fourth overall player in the 2018 NBA draft. He signed his first professional contract with the Grizzlies on July 1, 2018.

On March 29, 2019, Jaren's first season ended early because of a deep bruise in his right thigh.

On December 13, 2019, Jaren had an amazing game, scoring a career-high 43 points. He made 9 three-pointers, which tied a team record! On January 28, 2020, he set a career-high with 7 blocks in a win against the Denver Nuggets.

Unfortunately, on August 4, 2020, Jaren suffered a serious injury. He tore a meniscus in his left knee during a game. This meant he missed the rest of the 2019–20 season.

Jaren returned to play on April 21, 2021, scoring 15 points and blocking 4 shots. Two days later, he scored a season-high 23 points. The Grizzlies made it to the playoffs for the first time since 2017. They played against the Utah Jazz and lost the series in five games. Jaren scored a playoff career-high 21 points in one of those games.

Defensive Player of the Year and All-Star (2021–2023)

On October 18, 2021, Jaren signed a big four-year contract extension with the Grizzlies. On January 9, 2022, he scored 21 points and tied his career-high with 12 rebounds in a win against the Los Angeles Lakers.

In the first playoff game on April 16, Jaren had 7 blocks. This set a new Grizzlies record for most blocks in a playoff game! The Grizzlies won that series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Jaren had 18 points and 14 rebounds in the final game.

In the next playoff series, the Grizzlies played against the Golden State Warriors. On May 1, Jaren scored a playoff career-high 33 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. The Grizzlies lost the series to the Warriors, who went on to win the NBA championship.

Jaren finished the 2021–22 season leading the entire NBA in blocks per game, with 2.3 blocks. He also had the most total blocks that season. Because of his great defense, he was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team.

On June 30, 2022, Jaren had surgery on his right foot and missed the start of the next season. He returned on November 15. On December 12, Jaren set another career-high with 8 blocks in a win against the Atlanta Hawks.

On January 5, 2023, he scored a season-high 31 points. On February 2, Jaren was chosen for his first NBA All-Star Game! On April 5, he scored a season-high 40 points. Jaren finished the regular season leading the league in blocks for the second year in a row, averaging 3 blocks per game.

In the 2023 playoffs, Jaren scored 31 points in the first game against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Grizzlies lost that series in six games. During the playoffs, Jaren was named the Defensive Player of the Year for the first time! He was also named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team for the second year in a row.

Playing for Team USA

Jaren was part of the United States national team. He played in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. His team finished fourth in that tournament.

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular season

Play-in

Playoffs

College

Personal Life

Jaren Jackson Jr. comes from a basketball family. His father, Jaren Jackson, was also a professional basketball player and later a coach in the NBA. His mother, Terri Jackson, is the executive director of the WNBPA (Women's National Basketball Players Association).

See also

In Spanish: Jaren Jackson Jr. para niños