DETROIT (Michigan News Source) – Playing in the NBA playoffs currently with the Memphis Grizzlies, former Michigan State star player Jaren Jackson, Jr., has been awarded the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award. He took 56 out of 100 possible first-place votes.
Jackson, Jr., is just the second player from MSU to win NBA Defensive Player of the Year as Draymond Green won the award in 2017. Jackson, Jr., is the second youngest player to win the award and is in his fifth season Memphis.
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This season he led the NBA in blocks per game at three holding opponents to just 46.9 percent shooting as Memphis had the third best defensive efficiency in the NBA. This is the second season in a row he has led the NBA in blocks. He was also a member of the All-Defensive team last year.
At MSU, in the one season he played for Tom Izzo, he had 106 blocked shots which was almost 30 more than any other player in school history. He played the 2017-18 season at MSU and averaged 10.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game starting 34 games. He had 10 or more points in 21 games with a career-high 27 points vs. Minnesota on Feb. 17, 2018. His father, Jalen, Sr., played 13 season in the NBA winning a championship in 1999 with San Antonio.
Memphis is currently the no. 2 seed in the NBA Playoffs for the Western Conference. In the first game of the playoffs, he had 31 points in the opener vs. Los Angeles. Memphis will play the second game of the series vs. the Lakers on Wednesday night.
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