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Today I want to share a unique memory from a conversation I had with Jaren Jackson Jr. a few years ago.
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Back in April 2022, the Utah Jazz played against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Jazz ended up winning the game in overtime, and to be honest, I don’t remember much about the game itself except for one particular thing.
The Grizzlies finished that season second in the Western Conference and were one of the few top-seeded teams who actually made an effort not to complain to officials. At one point during the game, I saw several players pleading and complaining about fouls, and Jackson rushed over, wrapped his arms around the players, and took them away from the referee.
This isn’t the players complaining being aggressive and risking a technical foul — it’s just your average rant at the referees. I remember thinking it was a little weird and different from a lot of other players and teams in the league.
After the game, I arrived in the Grizzlies locker room in time to ask Jackson about the interaction during the game and his thoughts on complaining to the referees.
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He told me that he always thought it was a waste of emotion to get himself upset over a call he didn’t agree with. When he feels he has been wronged by the referee, or feels the referee missed something, there are almost always more important things to worry about than what to say to the referee.
He said it has become part of the Grizzlies’ identity as they begin to work toward becoming a competitive team. If other teams are going to waste time on the officiating staff, then they will use these moments to their advantage or focus their energy on something that could have a positive impact on the game.
When he walked up to the players who were complaining that night, he quickly told them to refocus on the team. He mentioned that his “brothers” (teammates) just need to be reminded that the “family” needs their attention and no one else’s.
From that point on, whenever I watched Jackson play, I was fondly reminded of that brief conversation with him. I think that says a lot about the kind of teammate and player Jackson wants to be and how much he values every moment of the game and seeing that there are ways to maximize focus and energy even when the clock is stopped.
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