Growth of GG Jackson II as a Rookie | Just Grizzlies

Growth of GG Jackson II as a Rookie | Just Grizzlies

You ready okay oh again all right guys H index me Wing It wing it back to the index period period Gigi yes momam the youngest player in the entire NBA you just had your 19th birthday happy belated thank you thank you you came into the league as an

18-year-old and and you are literally the youngest person on the planet to be playing against the best basketball players in the world is that sunk in um not really yet no no actually I’m lying when we played uh Golden State definitely sunk in because I I got to

Like touch Draymond and like touch Curry it’s a weird thing for a Hooper but for me it was crazy so okay let’s fast forward to that game then since you brought it up Draymond after that game went on his podcast and and said that at halftime you like went out of your way

And I’m these are his words so you’re going to have to walk me through it went out of your way to bring up to Steph that you’re Uninvited from his Camp yeah how did that happen like not the actual Camp thing like how did the interaction

With Steph happen uh I saw he was doing like Steph does like weird stuff like but the greatest Shooters do weird stuff so I saw him like I was at the half court line I called him over and he came is that halftime or before the game no

Yeah it is halftime okay um and then I told him I was like you know it’s crazy then I told him how I got Uninvited from uh the camp but Draymond left out how I I told him after I was like it’s fine I had reclassed up that’s why they took

The invite away and he was like oh word word word word word but now since Draymond put that video out I I know I’m heavy on their com right now was that on your mind like throughout the first half you like I have to tell Steph this or

Was it like a moment of opportunity it was like I said I was either gonna get it before the game when it was walking towards our go to like line up for the national anthem or or halftime or after the game what was Steph’s reaction at

First he was like a man I’m not on the voting committee I just you know it just has my name on he was like I’m so sorry and stuff but no he was cool about it Draymond also made it seem like you were upset about it or you used it for a

Motivation because you did play really well that game did you is there validity in in using that as a motivation for that game specifically um I guess you can say that I feel like I always have a m have going into uh every game I fill

All the way to 45 so just my jersey numers motivation for me every game but I feel like that was a little added fuel just a tad bit what’s the story behind the jersey number 45 that’s the pick I felt to so is that what motivates you definitely every morning you wake up

Every morning when I see that 4 five I’m like I got to go get after it it’s interesting you bring that up too and I I want to talk about that because you were the number one ranked player coming out of high school right and you dropped

A 45 I’ve seen the interview with you on draft night like you’re audibly kind of disappointed which is fair valid but then I think the actual quote that you said is I’ve got a lot to prove right what have you proved to yourself this season so far I feel like I’ve proven

Like no matter the age or no matter what pick you fall I feel like yish prove like no matter what pick you fall but you know that anyone belongs in this league uh not just anyone I’m sorry the skilled players belong in this league and that’s not a knock on the the uh

Players or 44 players that went ahead of me uh you know I just feel like I got that dog in me you know I come from South Carolina where we kind of get overlooked but thanks to guys like John Morin and Zion you know they kind of

Open the door for us let see guys you have South Carolina ties with John Mor um I know one of your cousins grew up with him you knew his family since you were young has it been semi nice to have a a familiar face with I mean you’re

Going from an 18-year-old to like living an MBA life now like your life has changed yeah is it nice to have just someone that like you kind of know yeah when I when I hear him talking I hear his accent I’m like I got a little bit

Of Home left over here but uh it’s it’s nice I get to talk to his dad every now and then but uh they took me in like I was one of theirs so it’s all love for them that must be nice just like as a transition right to have like just

Someone who you kind of know I kind of had that when I came here too cuz it was such a difference going from where I was from to a new city a new job had like just I I wasn’t I didn’t know Dylan and he’s gone now but like it was a familiar

Face just like made you kind of feel like home still facts facts uh all right so we were talking about you being the youngest guy and I watched an interview with you in South Carolina talking about your idol or like your favorite NBA player and at that time it was LeBron

James and when we played the Lakers you were not with the Grizzlies you were with the hustle don’t worry there’s two more games and you will be able to play him and he’s the oldest guy in the league which is just this crazy like both sides of the spectrum after

Everything that you’ve we talked about Steph and Draymond um is it still going to be cool when you get to play LeBron or is that you think going to be kind of like oh definitely like if he falls to the ground you might see me trying to help

Him up that’s all I’m going to say it was crazy when the Rockets played the Lakers I called cam Whitmore right after the game like yo like what what was it like like playing against BR like what was it like and he was like still like

So stoked about it and stuff too he was like almost dunked on them man so I feel like you know that just shows our appreciation that you know that we have for him and what he’s done for the game uh he came to watch me play AA during

The peach jam I saw Bri walking through the hallway naturally everybody’s like too scared to go up there him of course I was like man yo Bron and he turned around and was like oh what up G I was like no way and then like he dabed me up

He was like keep going GG and he said my full name I was like like this is crazy but that just shows like how much he knows about the game like he knows about kids that aren’t even in the league just yet so I feel like he’s just preparing

So that was your first experience with LeBron yeah and now you’re going to play against him you talked to cam who you knew from Team USA M did he give you any other insights like any like expectations into we play in March we play them in April you got two chances

To go against yeah the guy that you look up to what are the expectations for one I’m expecting the Grizzlies to come on top with the win even though I am a huge LeBron fan you know the this is business and we trying to get paid as well uh and

Other expectations just uh seeing what I can learn from him you know you hear the stories that uh about like how he talks on the court or how he controls everything so I feel like that’ll be very very cool to see like you know just him orchestrating everything feel like

He has a very very loud and vocal voice so I’m definitely going to be able to hear him is there anything you’ve learned from your one interaction with him in terms of being a student of the game in order to know a high school kid

You got to be a student of the game LeBron is obviously someone who knows everything he called you g the first time he met you in a tournament is there anything you’ve learned from that yeah just like how you said I’m just knowing and uh I would say how to be a

Professional like how he carries himself uh it’s not necessarily like oh I know I’m the but like he carries himself as like he’s a proud strong man and uh a businessman as well and uh preparation he had a a sack with him like a little

Bag and uh I was wondering what was in there during the game like he looked at his watch took some like some peanuts and fruit and stuff out of his bag and started EA protein or it’s crazy stuff H uh another guy who knew your

Name who I don’t want to put words into your mouth so I’m goingon to ask you about it who you might have been a little shocked that Golden State Warriors game was a TNT game yeah you got interviewed after the game the interview goes well and then Shaq comes

On yeah and he says GG young man I have no questions I just just want to let you know I’m proud of you and your reaction went viral yeah can you walk me through like that moment where you hear Shaq say your name know who you are acknowledge

You I got the uh when I heard Ernie’s voice I’m like okay stay cool stay cool and then I heard um um heard Chuck’s voice and uh I heard uh Lord why is my mom foggy what’s her name Candace Parker Candace Parker that almost I almost had the

Reaction when I heard her voice cuz from one she’s very very beautiful and she’s also a goat in her own category but like the tip of the iceberg was definitely hearing it from the most dominant player of all time I just think back from like

Where I come from in back or in life really I was uh raised in a trailer and uh be talking to sh kill O’Neil just you don’t believe those things can add up but they do so now that You’ let it sing it sounds like you’ve had time to

Reflect on it and and from where you started to where you are now has that part sunk in I asked you if it sunk in that you’re just young and playing in the NBA but what about all these greats that you looked up to your whole life knowing you Steph knows you

Draymond knows you Shaq knows you LeBron knows you yeah it it’s been crazy uh I don’t know if it’s sunken in yeah I kind of like enjoy the part that like when I see those guys I kind of like I don’t want to say get butterflies in

My stomach but I’m like like dang like that’s such and such so like before I’ve been uh I’ve gotten an opportunity to play anytime I was called up with the Grizz like we play like the Mavs or like the Clippers like soon as the buzzer

Goes off like I’m like first one Off the Bench I’m running to those guys like I’m letting them know like hey I’m GG I’m The Rook you don’t know my name yet but hopefully in the next year or two I can make a name for myself and I’ve said

That to Chris midleton Brandon Ingram Giannis Kyrie like like pleora players so hopefully they can know my name as well what are their reactions as someone like me or someone watching this podcast we’re never going to have the opportunity to do that right you have that opportunity can you take me inside

Like you don’t have to be like specific on what they said but like are they nice like are they welcoming are they like KGG little goofball yeah I feel I feel like it’s like a they trying to get off the course it’s like okay all right all

Right but the one person I would say who gave me like the most advice was uh it was either Marque Morris and Julius Rand they both took me like like grabbed me on the side just you know told me to stay in the gym keep working like when the opportunity

Presents itself like can’t be us suround like you got to go after and uh that just stuck with me a lot just hearing it from those guys and you know what they’ve been able to do in the league hopefully I can do as well you’ve named

So many players and one player that I just want to follow up on was yic yeah and I think you related to him because he he was taken so late in the draft and and he’s the two-time MVP like the one of the best players in the league right

Now is there is there players like him or other players in the league that you look at as guys who were taken later that have proved themsel in the league either they had long careers they have All-Star careers or you look at them and you’re like look if I went here and they

Did this what we can be on similar paths yage is obviously a notable one for basketball but also in like other sports uh Tom br what’s Travis Kel’s brother’s name uh Jason Jason Kelce was the 191st pick just like bizarre things uh Brock pie guys that just you know were overlooked

A lot of times like Mike Tyson undersized small but one of the greatest pound-for-pound punches punchers ever so uh you know if you have a motive and you have your why if you got something that can drive you every day like you waking up knowing what you want to do I feel

Like anything’s possible why do you think you were overlooked childish mistakes I made in college on and off the court I wasn’t the best teammate there was times where guys would go to the Huddle I would still be sitting on the bench cuz I was

Just so mad for some odd reason but um that’s another thing I had to learn like you never know who’s watching and uh at the time I was coming out of high school number one so I had a lot of eyes on me and I just made careless

Mistakes looking back like you sound so mature right now looking back and owning mistakes what lessons have you learned like how have you changed cuz you are you are just like a bright light on the Grizzlies now yes well um I’m learning to stay off the internet definitely I think we could all

Learn that facts be aware of your surround and and uh stay true to yourself but learn to adapt to situations and I say that because at every level if like say like if your dad isn’t your coach at every level you’re going to have a different different

Coach so you have to adapt to different systems now it’s the NBA who knows what can happen in like the next six years like if I go to a different team got to adapt to their organization and all that hopefully I want to stay in Memphis for

Sure so but i’ I’ve had to learn to you know adapt to different things what’s one thing that you’re proud of yourself for just not giving up when training camp started and even before that when we was having open runs and the summer literally every day I was going back home

Crying like it was so bad I I’ve never felt like I was bad at basketball before other than when I first joined CP3 and then when I got here I was like the gap between me and these dudes is like crazy but I stuck with it I had to grind

It out I had to understand that that yeah you’re young but like you’re here for a reason and that just kept pushing me uh like I’ve never shot the ball as well as I’m shooting it right now and it isn’t Alex Carter it’s Anthony Carter I

Got that wrong as well on TNT that’s my bad but he’s been by myself you call him AC right yeah AC yeah he’s been by my side the whole way getting my shot right and uh from the film it looks like I belong out there not from the film you

Are making an impact on an NBA team injuries aside you went from um time at the hustle and you have been quoted as taking that seriously a lot of a lot of guys not in our organization but go to the G league and they don’t use it as an

Opportunity to get better A lot of our guys do that you went and use it and now you’re making like a big impact like on an NBA team winning games when you have time to reflect the beginning of this season going home and crying after practices to now being interviewed on

TNT making impacts getting 15 20 points a game like how does that feel I will never feel that feeling well all I can say is uh it comes from a higher being and that being god um you know the Bible says that you can do all things through Christ that strengthens you

And he’s allowed me to do some very very spectacular things and you know you know obviously thanks to the coaches and you know the for giving me the opportunity but you know I thank God every chance I get you know just for allowing me to be

Able to wake up every day knowing that my job is just to put a ball in the hoop which is crazy and your dad’s a pastor right like still preaching every Sunday we go to church on Saturdays I’m sorry we keep it Sabbath now you fine Saturdays every weekend right when

You’re going through that tough time at the beginning of the Season how do you get through it and how does your dad help you because I know he’s a big part of your life uh my dad has the best quotes ever I’ll tell you that he can

Put words together my mom as well she can put words together to make it sound so good and make you feel good uh the latest one my dad gave to me um he said a prepared a prepared person uh a prepared person can never be a scared person it was something it was

Something along those lines but it was basically like just telling me how like I got to like always be prepared before the game’s like waking up on game day making sure I’m you know doing my things that I’m supposed to do right a prepared person can never be a scared person

Which I get I’m sitting here prepping for our interview right now and once you feel prepared your nerves kind of right settle down how do you prepare for games um I got to have tropical smoothie for some reason what’s your order uh turkey bacon ranch no Ranch po L mayonnaise no

Tomatoes extra bacon Bahama Mama no white chocolate no coconut extra strawberry would have hint of aai oh this man has done this before oh definitely he’s it 82 times with the salt and vinegar chips and the Snicker doodle cookie oh wow no and then I eat

That I come over to the facility I try to get in a hot tub for about like two or three minutes and then I stand in the cold to just to like like really wake up then I’m ready to go uh I want to talk about about just

One of your teammates right because in the pre-draft time uh I watched an interview and you said that you had come to Memphis for one individual workout um because you work out with like a whole bunch of teams before you before the draft happens and you had said that you

Met one of the players and you said the one interaction you had was that you shook Desmond Bane’s hand yeah doz this season in or out of like injured or not injured has been praised for his leadership right how has is your relationship with him from shaking his

Hand as an 18-year-old kid who may or may not be with the Grizzlies ever to him now and his leadership style how is your relationship grown with him um I feel like he sees me as a not yet fully a man but a growing man um and he treats

Me as such uh have nothing but love for me it’s crazy like he’ll see like if he like if I don’t have a smile on my face he thinks something’s wrong with me so like he’ll come over like like what you see out there like what you think going

On and if I don’t say nothing like he’ll say something for me he’ll be like like the low man is pulling in a little bit so you know you got to shake out the corner if he’s over there you got to dive down cut through like he knows so

Much about the game as well and um I like no weird stuff I like to watch him like work out he doesn’t think I do but like if I’m in the weight room I like take a peek like every rep he’s going hard like super hard super hard

Even with his his ankle injury he’s attacking rehab very very very hard very very serious like you can tell he wants to be back out there on the floor with us he’s a great family man as well has a beautiful family and uh those are things

That you know I try to look up to you know hopefully you know one day and I can have a family of my own maybe I cut my hair get some waves like uh that Jordan documentary it just reminded me of when you said like looking at him working out that Jordan

Documentary came out during the pandemic and so many of Jordan’s teammates Kobe’s teammates talk about how they watch them from afar and they see that they just go so much harder than everyone else and like it to have a vet like that as a rookie brings you into the league with a

Certain standard what what is something that you were most surprised about about the NBA I would say like how practices are conducted that was uh you know I’m thinking we going to be here for like hours like suicides running and stuff like you see the last dance they got

Like miking them like doing suicide and stuff but uh it’s really like a lot of it is on your own as a player to like know your matchups and different things like that but uh you know the coaches I will say the coaches know exactly what they’re talking about and it’s just on

You to go out of execute so you’re surprised that it’s more on you right it was different in college yeah cuz you know High School Middle School College you know coaches like okay now you going to walk over here n they going to just tell you to play Hey You come up here

Screened that way down and it’s on you to be a basketball player and that’s another thing that was like new like everyone was on the same page you know college you got guys goofing off on the sidelines and all that stuff like that but when like here when it’s time to

Lock in like it’s a different level of focus there is some goofing around in the sidelines and I’ll say during games like that’s one of the most fun Parts is to see like the bench’s reaction and you even said like if you don’t have a smile on your face does know something’s wrong

You always have a smile on your face you always do you have like a fun smile Vince has like a devious smile what makes you smile game days you’re in the game you’re playing you’re on the bench whatever it is like what keeps you so happy just the fact that I’m there like

Every Arena we go into even like I’ve been in the FedEx for like a lot now but each time I go out I just like glaze at the the crowd if I’m out there like dang like I’m really here this is real life this is real life is crazy and uh yeah

That’s one of the main reasons why I keep a smile if a 15-year-old kid who had the same situation as you came to you right now and was like what advice would you have wanted at 15 what would you say your work I think has to be

Different and I’ll tell them like I know you hear it from uh your high school coach your a coach oh that you got to work that you got to work but not seriously like you have to get in the gym you have to like if you’re at that

Stage I feel like you always got to have a basketball somewhere near you do you have a basketball near you at all times yeah I got one in the crib like when I you just like sit watching TV holding a basketball like I like just throw it up

In the air a couple of times it’s got to be like your life yeah you got to eat sleep and breathe it my last question to you is because you mentioned all these greats that know who Gigi Jackson is you feel like you’ve been semi overlooked up until now now

You’re playing big NBA minutes you’re playing alongside players like joh Dez who thousands of kids would look up to right like now that GG Jackson is a name in this league Shaq knows it LeBron knows it what is GG Jackson aspired to be um I

Want to be that guy that the kids look up to that you know reclassed up early young gu stepping into a world where shouldn’t really be at just yet but if you stay in the gym no what you’re doing preparation you got the write people in your circle anything’s possible and I

Want to be that guy that they look up to all right easy as that GG Jackson thank you thank you thank you thank you for your time thank you Grizzlies fans make sure that you are subscribed to our Memphis Grizzlies YouTube channel for more of these podcasts and other behind the scenes footage

GG Jackson shares his journey as a rookie and his growth in his first NBA season. He talks about his unwavering determination and humility as a 2nd-round pick out of South Carolina. The NBA’s youngest player reflects on surreal moments facing players he grew up watching and being interviewed postgame on TNT.

▶️ Subscribe to Memphis Grizzlies on YouTube!: http://bit.ly/subscribe2memgrizz
📲 Get the Memphis Grizzlies mobile app: https://bit.ly/MemGrizzApp
🎟 Get single-game tickets now!: http://bit.ly/2R1msbz
🎟️ Explore season ticket options, benefits: https://on.nba.com/3a3l95l
🏀 Discover breaking news and latest team updates at: http://grizzlies.com/news

~Connect with Us~
𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐌: http://bit.ly/GrizzInsta
𝐓𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑: http://bit.ly/GrizzTweets
𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊: http://bit.ly/GrizzFB
𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐃𝐈𝐓: https://bit.ly/3Cdpf9g

Official YouTube channel of the NBA Memphis Grizzlies. For more content and video features, visit Grizzlies.com.

For more Memphis Grizzlies analysis plus mid-south sports and community news, follow Grind City Media on YouTube at: http://bit.ly/subscribe2gcm