Former South Carolina basketball star makes NBA Summer League first team

South Carolina basketball alum GG Jackson was the youngest player in the NBA last season, and the 19 year old Columbia native worked his way onto the NBA All-Rookie 2nd team. Despite his rookie year success, the talented forward played in the NBA Summer League this July. As one might expect, he could not be stopped on the offensive end of the floor.

On Monday night, just before Jackson's Memphis Grizzlies squad faced off against the Miami Heat in the Summer League championship (a game that Memphis lost but Jackson posted 28 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and multiple clutch buckets that sent the game to overtime), the 2023 NBA Draft 2nd round pick won an honor that many knew would be coming his way from the time it was announced he was playing in Summer League: GG Jackson was named to the NBA Summer League 1st team.

The All-Summer League teams are positionless, but Jackson was joined on the 1st team by Memphis Grizzlies teammate Scotty Pippen, Jr., Miami Heat center Kel'el Ware, Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard, and Los Angeles Clippers guard Jordan Miller.

During Summer League, Jackson averaged over 20 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 3-pointers per game.

If Jackson can carry over his success from the end of last season and Summer League into his sophomore campaign in the NBA, he will have a chance to establish himself as one of the most dynamic scorers in all of basketball. At 6'9", Jackson has guard skills and post length and can play the 3 of stretch-4 for the Grizzlies.

Whether Jackson starts or is an important bench piece for Memphis this season remains to be seen, but he will be part of a team with NBA Finals aspirations, and South Carolina basketball fans will have the chance to watch the first Gamecock turn into an NBA star in quite some time.