Memphis Grizzlies All-Star Jaren Jackson Jr. shares the identical alma mater as Golden State Warriors Draymond Inexperienced and shared a comic story of when he was nonetheless in faculty and the four-time champion was visiting campus. Earlier than Jackson Jr. was in a full-court press on the 2025 NBA All-Star Recreation, he was a freshman at Michigan State College. Inexperienced visited and spoke to the freshman prospect about his NBA future.
Jackson Jr. revealed Inexperienced additionally received him out of bother earlier than giving him sound recommendation, per Bleacher Experiences’ Taylor Rooks X.
“As you already know, Coach Izzo’s the GOAT, and he simply sort of laughed at my face once I informed him I wished to remain at school. I laughed laborious, too,” Jackson Jr. mentioned. “Then he drove me to class, one in every of my final courses. I used to be late as a result of I used to be assembly with him. He received me out of that.”
Then, Jackson Jr. obtained a shocking telephone name.
“I went to my home, and I used to be nonetheless sort of on the fence in my head, and I assume he gave Draymond my quantity, and I’d by no means actually recognized this man, and he sort of simply calls me,” Jackson Jr. added. “He doesn’t even introduce himself and he’s similar to, ‘what the f—ok are you doing?’ He’s similar to, ‘Are you severe?’ I’m similar to hey, and he’s like ‘how excessive do you need to go man.’
“I began to choose up on the voice. I mentioned bro I prefer it right here, and he’s like, ‘it doesn’t matter what you need to do man.’ I keep in mind he was speaking so loud I needed to put it on speaker and put it away from him,” Jackson Jr. concluded.
Jackson Jr. took Draymond Inexperienced’s recommendation and entered the 2018 NBA Draft. The Grizzlies chosen him with the fourth general choose.
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Jaren Jackson Jr. boasts over full-court press in All-Star Recreation
Grizzlies’ ahead Jaren Jackson Jr. earned his second All-Star choice in 2025. His productive seven-year profession contains profitable the Defensive Participant of the 12 months award in 2023.
So it was no shock to see Jackson Jr. put forth a robust defensive effort on this yr’s All-Star Recreation.
“I informed them earlier. I mentioned I’m simply going to choose up full courtroom,” Jackson mentioned. “I’m simply going to do it, simply because, you already know, let’s simply set a distinct tone. It’s a distinct format. Clearly, you’re not making an attempt to get blown out in a recreation to 40 within the first recreation. It’s a present. It’s for everyone else.”
Jackson Jr. and Kenny’s Younger Stars misplaced within the All-Star Recreation’s semifinals towards Chuck’s World Stars.