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South Carolina basketball product excels in first stop in NBA Summer League

by: Kevin Miller07/09/25kevinbmiller52
gg jackson
Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

South Carolina basketball product GG Jackson has spent two years in the Association with the Memphis Grizzlies but participated in NBA Summer League in Salt Lake City this week. The Columbia native spent part of the 2024-2025 season injured after a preseason foot injury, so the Grizzlies hoped that a strong showing could help fuel a good lead-up to the 2025-2026 campaign.

So far, the 6-9 forward has looked like a player ready to take the next step in his professional career.

Memphis finished up its Salt Lake Summer League schedule on Tuesday night but elected not to play Jackson. The rising third-year player didn’t need to show anything else after two big-time performances.

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In contests against the Oklahoma City Thunder and Utah Jazz, Jackson scored 47 combined points on 19-for-33 shooting (6-for-14 from 3-point land). He also chipped in with eight rebounds and two blocks. Trailing by three against the Jazz, Jackson hit what appeared to be a game-tying 3-point bucket at the buzzer (while on a dead sprint), but his size 15 shoe was on the line, ending the game in a 1-point loss.

More importantly than his general stat line and the Grizzlies winning or losing a Summer League contest, Jackson played with energy and physicality on both ends of the floor. He defended hard, took (and made) smart shots, and had an overall positive +/- across two games. He scored efficiently both inside and outside and guarded players at multiple positions.

The Grizzlies will take part in the Las Vegas portion of NBA Summer League this weekend and next week. However, it is unclear if Jackson will continue playing. Former Gamecocks Collin Murray-Boyles and AJ Lawson will suit up for the Toronto Raptors’ Summer League team. Murray-Boyles was the ninth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

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In his first two seasons in the NBA, Jackson has averaged 11.8 points and 3.7 rebounds. He was at his best in an expanded role down the stretch of his rookie season. As a sophomore, he was in and out of the rotation but will look to bounce back in year three.

Jackson spent just one year in a South Carolina basketball uniform. Following a reclassification from the class of 2023 to the class of 2022, he made the SEC All-Freshman team. Jackson averaged 15.4 points and 5.9 rebounds for the Gamecocks in head coach Lamont Paris’ first season.

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