{"id":578989,"date":"2026-02-03T06:25:15","date_gmt":"2026-02-03T06:25:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/578989\/"},"modified":"2026-02-03T06:25:15","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T06:25:15","slug":"why-grizzlies-are-allowing-assertive-animated-gg-jackson-to-take-toughest-matchups","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/578989\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Grizzlies are allowing \u2018assertive, animated\u2019 GG Jackson to take toughest matchups"},"content":{"rendered":"

Why Grizzlies are allowing \u2018assertive, animated\u2019 GG Jackson to take toughest matchups<\/a> appeared first on ClutchPoints<\/a>. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Setbacks can send an organization and a player in two different directions. Either they regroup and come back stronger than ever, or they fall by the wayside. The discombobulated Memphis Grizzlies<\/a> are learning this the hard way, as has GG Jackson. Fortunately, the third-year pro is starting to find a pathway to significant playing time after almost 18 months of feeling like an afterthought.<\/p>\n

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Now the 21-year-old is the first up when Tuomas Iisalo<\/a> needs a stop<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cDefensively, (Jackson) has taken on some of the toughest matchups in the league and held his own,\u201d Iisalo noted. \u201cClearly making strides, and I think that\u2019s also a source of pride for him. It\u2019s great to also see from him that he is not content with where we are as a team or where he is as a player. He wants to improve. That\u2019s ultimately what you want from your young guys and really from everybody.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jackson\u2019s personality has always been one of his defining characteristics. His energy and expressiveness are undeniable, but channeling those qualities productively has been key to his development. According to Iisalo, the young forward has made significant strides in harnessing his natural exuberance.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think (Jackson) has made tremendous strides,\u201d stressed Iisalo. \u201cI just mentioned to him after that (first Minnesota Timberwolves) game that I\u2019m very proud of him. Just about his whole approach. GG, if you know him a little bit, he\u2019s a very animated, very extroverted person. And like, that\u2019s a great quality to have as long as it doesn\u2019t let\u2019s say derail his focus in the game.\u201d<\/p>\n

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This animated nature, once a potential distraction, is now being harnessed positively. Iisalo noted how Jackson\u2019s refined approach is influencing teammates and elevating the Grizzlies\u2019 play.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI think (Jackson) has had a lot less extra in these games,\u201d Iisalo admitted. \u201cBody language-wise, he\u2019s very focused. He does all the things we talked about in terms of \u2018can\u2019 but he does what the game calls for him. He is doing a great job driving, shooting, closeouts, and in transition. The finishing is much more assertive. If he gets a step on a guy, he keeps him on his shoulder and is then able to finish.\u201d<\/p>\n

For the Grizzlies, Jackson\u2019s evolution represents more than just one player\u2019s improvement. It\u2019s a blueprint for how the organization develops young talent, allowing them to maintain their personalities while refining their skills and basketball IQ. Iisalo\u2019s approach of celebrating Jackson\u2019s extroverted nature while helping him channel it productively has created an environment where the young forward can thrive.<\/p>\n

By empowering GG Jackson, Iisalo is fostering a culture of growth and accountability. It\u2019s also giving the Grizzlies their best chance to win. Memphis has many faults, sure, but sticking with this investment is worth the risk.<\/p>\n

Related: How Grizzlies used new \u2018Swiss Army knife\u2019 to cut down Julius Randle, Timberwolves<\/a><\/p>\n

Related: Tuomas Iisalo\u2019s Grizzlies shade Euro Trip after snapping six-game losing streak<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Why Grizzlies are allowing \u2018assertive, animated\u2019 GG Jackson to take toughest matchups appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":578990,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3795],"tags":[7,1265,294,293,177,4070,152,6,181,1139],"class_list":{"0":"post-578989","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-memphis-grizzlies","8":"tag-basketball","9":"tag-gg-jackson","10":"tag-grizzlies","11":"tag-memphis","12":"tag-memphis-grizzlies","13":"tag-memphisgrizzlies","14":"tag-minnesota-timberwolves","15":"tag-nba","16":"tag-the-grizzlies","17":"tag-tuomas-iisalo"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/116005284927850590","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/578989","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=578989"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/578989\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/578990"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=578989"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=578989"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=578989"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}