SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Jaren Jackson Jr. is scheduled to undergo surgery during the upcoming NBA All-Star break, the Utah Jazz announced on Thursday.
The surgery will be done to remove a localized pigmented villonodular synovitis (PNVS) growth found on his left knee.
PNVS, according to the National Library of Medicine, is a rare and non-cancerous tumor that most commonly affects joints in the knee, hip, or ankle. If left untreated, PNVS can cause moderate to severe joint deformities or erode articular surfaces in the joint.
The Utah Jazz said the growth on Jackson Jr. was discovered during a post-trade physical with an MRI. The 26-year-old two-time All-Star joined the Utah Jazz in a blockbuster trade with the Memphis Grizzlies earlier this month,
After consulting with medical experts, Jackson Jr. and the Utah Jazz decided to remove the growth during the NBA All-Star break, beginning Valentine’s Day weekend.
While the Utah Jazz did not say whether or not Jackson Jr. was expected to miss any games after the surgery, Chris Haynes, an NBA insider for NBA on Prime, reported he was likely to miss the remainder of the season.
The Utah Jazz have 27 games remaining in the 2025-26 season, culminating with a road game against the LA Lakers on Sunday, April 12.
Jackson Jr. is expected to make a full recovery after the surgery.
A Carmel, Indiana-native, Jackson Jr. is in his eighth NBA season. He previously played for the Grizzlies, where he was drafted with the fourth overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Over his career, he has been named NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year, twice named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team, and once to the Second Team.