Jaren Jackson Jr. is switching his jersey from number 13, which he wore since his rookie season, to number 8—the number his father once wore—as a personal symbol of new beginnings.
Memphis Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. is looking for a fresh start after signing a massive contract extension this offseason.
Jaren Jackson Jr.
Jaren Jackson Jr.
Position: PF, C
Age: 25
Height: 208 cm
Weight: 110 kg
Birth place: New Jersey, United States of America
The 25-year-old is also changing his jersey number, NBC News' Rohan Nadkarni reports.
Jackson will give up the familiar number 13, which he has worn since his rookie season in 2018-19, in favor of number 8 — the same number his father wore during part of his NBA career.
"It's super personal to me. It's super personal to my family," Jackson said. "I'm connected with 8 in a real way. It reaches into the territory of new beginnings. It's infinite. It's just a good place to draw energy from."
This summer, Jackson earned a five-year, $240 million deal from the Grizzlies.
He's coming off one of the best seasons of his career, averaging 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks in 74 games while shooting 48.8% from the field and 37.5% from three-point range.
Jackson was named an All-Star for the second time and earned a second-team All-Defensive selection.
A three-time All-Defensive Team pick and the 2023 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Jackson has averaged 18.5 points and 5.5 rebounds across 407 career games with Memphis.
Locking up Jackson is part of Memphis' plan to continue building around him and star point guard Ja Morant. The Grizzlies, however, were swept by the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs in April.
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