Subscribe
Follow Us
Memphis Grizzlies All-Star Jaren Jackson Jr. shares the same alma mater as Golden State Warriors Draymond Green and shared a funny story of when he was still in college and the four-time champion was visiting campus. Before Jackson Jr. was in a full-court press at the 2025 NBA All-Star Game, he was a freshman at Michigan State University. Green visited and spoke to the freshman prospect about his NBA future.
Jackson Jr. revealed Green also got him out of trouble before giving him sound advice, per Bleacher Reports’ Taylor Rooks X.
“As you know, Coach Izzo’s the GOAT, and he just kind of laughed at my face when I told him I wanted to stay in school. I laughed hard, too,” Jackson Jr. said. “Then he drove me to class, one of my last classes. I was late because I was meeting with him. He got me out of that.”
Then, Jackson Jr. received a surprising phone call.
“I went to my house, and I was still kind of on the fence in my head, and I guess he gave Draymond my number, and I’d never really known this guy, and he kind of just calls me,” Jackson Jr. added. “He doesn’t even introduce himself and he’s just like, ‘what the f—k are you doing?’ He’s just like, ‘Are you serious?’ I’m just like hello, and he’s like ‘how high do you want to go man.’
“I started to pick up on the voice. I said bro I like it here, and he’s like, ‘it doesn’t matter what you want to do man.’ I remember he was talking so loud I had to put it on speaker and put it away from him,” Jackson Jr. concluded.
Jackson Jr. took Draymond Green's advice and entered the 2018 NBA Draft. The Grizzlies selected him with the fourth overall pick.
Jaren Jackson Jr. boasts over full-court press in All-Star Game
Grizzlies’ forward Jaren Jackson Jr. earned his second All-Star selection in 2025. His productive seven-year career includes winning the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2023.
So it was no surprise to see Jackson Jr. put forth a strong defensive effort in this year’s All-Star Game.
“I told them earlier. I said I’m just going to pick up full court,” Jackson said. “I’m just going to do it, just because, you know, let’s just set a different tone. It’s a different format. Obviously, you’re not trying to get blown out in a game to 40 in the first game. It’s a show. It’s for everybody else.”
Jackson Jr. and Kenny’s Young Stars lost in the All-Star Game’s semifinals against Chuck’s Global Stars.