Apr 18, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) and forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (13) react after defeating the Dallas Mavericks at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

ESPN Star Bashes Memphis Grizzlies All-Star

Originally posted on Memphis Grizzlies on SI
By Liam Willerup | Last updated Apr 21, 2025 4:45 PM ET

While teams like the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers enjoyed their wins on Sunday, there's no doubt that the Memphis Grizzlies are going to want to erase the thought of what happened to them on Sunday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Suffering a historic Game 1 loss 131-80, the Grizzlies will be looking for any signs of life in Game 2 on Tuesday.

With Ja Morant and Marvin Bagley being the only players to score in double-digits, Sunday was a poor outing for Memphis' lone All-Star in Jaren Jackson Jr., who scored only four points on 13 shots. His performance led to ESPN star Kendrick Perkins bashing his play on NBA Today, not holding back on his thoughts.

"[Jaren Jackson Jr.] is the most overhyped player in this league. He's not even a top 10 big in my eyes."@kendrickperkins wants to see more from the Grizzlies' All-Star in the playoffs pic.twitter.com/PVgBUuf89C
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 21, 2025

"I don't believe Jaren Jackson Jr....he is the most overhyped player in this league," Perkins said. "He's not even a top 10 big in my eyes...There's no way in h*** that Jaren Jackson Jr. should ever leave a game without having double-figure rebounds and being impactful on the defensive side of things."

As mentioned by Perkins, Jackson Jr. is one of the league's premier defensive players and was the team's second-leading scorer through the regular season. However, against the Thunder, he looked unplayable at times and allowed the Thunder to have a significant advantage on the boards and scoring in the paint.

THUNDER BLOW OUT GRIZZLIES BY 51 PTS

Largest margin of victory EVER in a Game 1 pic.twitter.com/2fPykDKRbv
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 20, 2025

Even though Perkins' criticism is harsh, Jackson Jr. can still turn things around despite the odds being stacked against him. Game 2 between the Grizzlies and Thunder is set to tip-off on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. EST, with the Grizzlies looking to bounce back after a horrendous performance.

This article first appeared on Memphis Grizzlies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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