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Memphis rookie GG Jackson had himself a night against Golden State on Monday, and Steph Curry might’ve had something to do with that. The former South Carolina star notched a career-high 23 points on 6-of-9 shooting.
He also chipped in six boards, two steals, and a pair of blocks while drilling five three-pointers to lead the Grizzlies to a 116-107 victory.
After the game, Jackson was praised by the NBA world for what some believe could be his official introduction to the league. Shaq was one of those congratulating the starstruck forward after the performance, which marked his second straight 20-point outing.
Success is nothing new for Jackson, a former top overall recruit that averaged 15 points a night as a freshman with the Gamecocks. He was drafted in the second round by Memphis, starting his career in a reserve role.
His minutes could soon go up, and he might have Steph Curry to thank!
Steph Curry snub made it personal for GG Jackson
Draymond Green said on his most recent podcast that the rookie had a little extra motivation for the Golden State game. Apparently, Curry previously uninvited Jackson from a camp opportunity, and he didn’t forget.
Here’s what Green had to say about the snub:
“[Jackson] said to Steph at halftime, ‘Man, I got uninvited from your camp,’ which I thought was interesting… [Curry] was like, ‘I remember that. We were filled on spots, so we had to pull some invites back.’
“Steph was like, ‘I kinda froze for a minute. It caught me a bit off-guard. What do you say to that?’ So, after the game, I learned that it was very personal for GG.
“Not only was it like, ‘I’m getting a chance to play against Steph Curry,’ but he found this extra added motivation.”
The motivation certainly worked.
We’ll see if Jackson can keep the momentum going after the monster night.