GG Jackson Sighting

adcoop

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With injuries to Ja Morant and a host of other rotational players for the Memphis Grizzlies. GG Jackson has been getting significant playing time for the big club and has played well. On Saturday, he scored 20 Pts. and 6 Rebs. on 9-14 shooting in a loss to the New York Knicks. He followed that up with 23 Pts. (5 Threes) and 6 Rebs. in a win yesterday over the Golden State Warriors. Yes, Steph played. Draymond was even back off of suspension. Also, GG got one of the biggest honors you can get as a basketball player. He got to speak to Shaq and Charles Barkley after the game as a result of his play. It didn't work out like many would have hoped for GG here. It happens with One-and-Dones especially ones that come in as young as GG, but it is good to see him doing well and growing into his career.
 

18IsTheMan

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I'm sure it's a dream come true for a 19 year old to get to talk to players like Shaq and Sir Charles.

It was a terrible situation for him last year. Biggest waste of a one-and-done that I can recall.
 
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Deleted11512

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Only two other players in NBA history have had back to back 20 pt games less than 20 years old...Kevin Durant and Lebron. He's a tremendous talent that wasn't ready to lead a team. Really glad to see him taking advantage of his opportunity.
 
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SuperCock99

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Maybe if GG stayed in Columbia longer then 6 months, I wouldn’t have just had to ask google who he is! 😆
 

adcoop

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Happy for him and will pull for him but glad he's gone.
That is a pretty callous thing to say. This was a case of a program not being ready for a One-and-Done Player especially one that was entering into college a year early. We had no veteran players. No players skilled enough to take pressure off of the kid and a new coach. I knew this wouldn't work when GG and the transfer from the Citadel (Hayden Brown) were going to represent our team at media day. Thought to myself that the kid was talented but wasn't ready to be a team leader. We all need to to chalk this one up to experience and hope that both sides move forward as a result of it.
 

adcoop

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I'm sure it's a dream come true for a 19 year old to get to talk to players like Shaq and Sir Charles.

It was a terrible situation for him last year. Biggest waste of a one-and-done that I can recall.
Oh, there have been a couple. Kentucky has had about 3 or 4 that didn't even play for various reasons. Also, that Covid Year group of B.J. Boston and the kid that died in an automobile accident on draft night (name escapes me) was not a good group for Kentucky. I, also, forgot that Martin brought in a kid, Brian Bowen, who came to school for a year, didn't play, and left for the NBA draft.
 
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Deleted11512

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Oh, there have been a couple. Kentucky has had about 3 or 4 that didn't even play for various reasons. Also, that Covid Year group of B.J. Boston and the kid that died in an automobile accident on draft night (name escapes me) was not a good group for Kentucky. I, also, forgot that Martin brought in a kid, Brian Bowen, who came to school for a year, didn't play, and left for the NBA draft.
It didn't help that he reclassified up. Kid should be a freshman in college right now.
 

Viennacock

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That is a pretty callous thing to say. This was a case of a program not being ready for a One-and-Done Player especially one that was entering into college a year early. We had no veteran players. No players skilled enough to take pressure off of the kid and a new coach. I knew this wouldn't work when GG and the transfer from the Citadel (Hayden Brown) were going to represent our team at media day. Thought to myself that the kid was talented but wasn't ready to be a team leader. We all need to to chalk this one up to experience and hope that both sides move forward as a result of it.
Case of a player not willing to be part of a team. I think you have this reversed.
 

Deleted11512

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Case of a player not willing to be part of a team. I think you have this reversed.
He was immature. He'd probably tell you the same if you asked him today. I think if he were to come into this year's team we'd probably have a different opinion on him. Mentally, he was not ready to be the man. That was clear.
 

Viennacock

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He was immature. He'd probably tell you the same if you asked him today. I think if he were to come into this year's team we'd probably have a different opinion on him. Mentally, he was not ready to be the man. That was clear.
Agreed. Wrong place at the wrong time.
 

adcoop

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He was immature. He'd probably tell you the same if you asked him today. I think if he were to come into this year's team we'd probably have a different opinion on him. Mentally, he was not ready to be the man. That was clear.
Bingo, I was about to respond to Vienna with something similar when I saw your post. However, through no fault of the program, we didn't have the infrastructure to have a re-class succeed especially leaning on him as the #1 option. As a point of reference, take a look at Chloe Kitts on the women's side. When she came in, you could tell something was there, but she wasn't quite ready to help us right away. Turn the page 12 months and Kitts is a starter on the #1 team in the country. On the women's side we had an established coach, vets with a lot of gravity to lean on. Just an entirely different situation than what GG came into. You, also, add in the pressure of needing to put up numbers so you can justify being drafted high and you have the recipe for what happened with GG last year. I am just happy that the kid came through this without his career totally ruined. The Grizzlies seem committed to bringing him along.
 

Viennacock

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Bingo, I was about to respond to Vienna with something similar when I saw your post. However, through no fault of the program, we didn't have the infrastructure to have a re-class succeed especially leaning on him as the #1 option. As a point of reference, take a look at Chloe Kitts on the women's side. When she came in, you could tell something was there, but she wasn't quite ready to help us right away. Turn the page 12 months and Kitts is a starter on the #1 team in the country. On the women's side we had an established coach, vets with a lot of gravity to lean on. Just an entirely different situation than what GG came into. You, also, add in the pressure of needing to put up numbers so you can justify being drafted high and you have the recipe for what happened with GG last year. I am just happy that the kid came through this without his career totally ruined. The Grizzlies seem committed to bringing him along.
Poor move by Kitts. Lost an entire year of eligibility for a few minutes of playing time.

As mentioned, I'm happy for GG and will continue to pull for him.
 

adcoop

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Poor move by Kitts. Lost an entire year of eligibility for a few minutes of playing time.

As mentioned, I'm happy for GG and will continue to pull for him.
It depends on how you look at it. If you are a college sports only guy, which it appears you are, then yes Kitts lost a year of eligibility. However, that's not how many in the basketball community see it. In my opinion, Kitts fast tracked her progress and would probably be on the bench behind Watkins and Feagin if she had not come in early. Further, if you are a 3 year starter at a program like South Carolina, do you really need that 4th year to increase your draft status? Probably not. Losing that fourth year doesn't bother me. Our program is so far along now, that I am confident that there will be another to take Kitts' place when its time for her move on. Heck, she is going to have to fight just to keep herself on the floor this year and in the future.
 
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Viennacock

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It depends on how you look at it. If you are a college sports only guy, which it appears you are, then yes Kitts lost a year of eligibility. However, that's not how many in the basketball community see it. In my opinion, Kitts fast tracked her progress and would probably be on the bench behind Watkins and Feagin if she had not come in early. Further, if you are a 3 year starter at a program like South Carolina, do you really need that 4th year to increase your draft status? Probably not. Losing that fourth year doesn't bother me. Our program is so far along now, that I am confident that there will be another to take Kitts' place when its time for her move on. Heck, she is going to have to fight just to keep herself on the floor this year and in the future.
I'm not a college only guy. I'm a big picture guy. Personally, I think all gamecocks that graduated high school early was a mistake, starting with Bentley and ending with Kitts.

If Kitt's goal is the WNBA, you could argue that she made the right decision. If she were my daughter, it certainly wouldn't make sense to come in mid-year for non-baskeball reasons.
 

Deleted11512

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I'm not a college only guy. I'm a big picture guy. Personally, I think all gamecocks that graduated high school early was a mistake, starting with Bentley and ending with Kitts.

If Kitt's goal is the WNBA, you could argue that she made the right decision. If she were my daughter, it certainly wouldn't make sense to come in mid-year for non-baskeball reasons.
I think every player Dawn Staley signs has a goal of the WNBA.
 

Viennacock

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I think every player Dawn Staley signs has a goal of the WNBA.
Agreed but I don't think coming into a top team mid-season did her any favors. My opinion. Maybe she'll be a 3.5 and done and she'll be a trailblazer. I'm sure it has happened but I don't even see guys doing this (coming in mid-season).
 

adcoop

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Agreed but I don't think coming into a top team mid-season did her any favors. My opinion. Maybe she'll be a 3.5 and done and she'll be a trailblazer. I'm sure it has happened but I don't even see guys doing this (coming in mid-season).
Kentucky on the men's side has had a few. I remember Tennessee having a big kid come in mid-season and play very well. I think he played one more year before moving on. Haven't heard of it much on the Women's side. Kentucky's got burned with this a couple times trying to red-shirt the mid year guy, but the cat was out of the bag on their talent and they got drafted in the first round without even playing a minute of college ball. I think Shaedon Sharpe, now with the Trailblazers, is the last one they got burned on.
 
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