Josh Jackson has no complaints about housing in the NBA bubble at Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
In fact, the former University of Kansas shooting guard / little striker has had quite a bit of fun in the past two weeks he has spent practicing for the July 30 shooting of the NBA season with his Memphis Grizzlies.
“It wasn’t a training camp at all. It really reminds me of the AAU ball, ”said the 23-year-old Detroit-born 6-foot and 8-year-old from Chris Vernon’s podcast on grindcitymedia.com on Tuesday. “I seem to be in high school. It’s like a travel tournament with my teammates, as it was when I was 15, 16 years old to participate in these tournaments. You don’t have a car, you’re alone in the room. “
When not practicing in the Disney complex of Wide World of Sports – site of the restart of the NBA season of the 2019-20 season, consisting of 22 of the 30 teams – Jackson is having dinner in his room at the Grand Floridian Hotel or walking through Disney World. He and some teammates took a ride on a pontoon boat just the other day, while other teammates are fishing, playing golf and playing bowling.
“It was nice. It wasn’t long ago for younger kids that we were playing AAU and we had no choice but to be in your room and go to the game. I feel the older boys. They have been out of this for years and years now. I can feel it. I can understand that a little bit, “said Jackson.
He gave podcast host Vernon an example of a full day on the NBA bubble. The Grizzlies arrived on duty on July 8th.
“Most of the days since we have been here our practices have been around 9 or 10 in the morning. We finished at 12:30 or 1:00 pm. You have the rest of the day all to yourself. Go to the pool, get something to eat, play video games, relax in the room, “explained Jackson.
“Today, the practice is at 6 (pm),” added Tuesday. “We did a group recovery workout in the pool this morning, which was fun. The boys splashed each other, jumping into the pool laughing at 10 am. “
When the practice is at 10 … “I take a nap when we come back from the practice, we wake up and play video games. Food has improved a lot. It has greatly improved. We have a few restaurants we can order – Del Frisco’s is one (and) Morton’s. We are eating as we normally do. I play video games all day practically – a lot of Apex Legends. (Game) came out shortly after Fortnite. (It is) another shooting game. I sit there and play all day. I will look up and have been on that thing four or five hours without even knowing it, “Jackson said.
As for the resumption of the season … “I’m ready to start,” said Jackson.
He had some sort of revival this season with the Grizzlies after his first two seasons in the league with the Phoenix Suns where he averaged 12.3 points in a game (with 41.5% shooting; 29, 4% from three) and 4.5 rebounds out of 156 games in total.
He was traded with the Grizzlies on July 7, 2019 and was immediately assigned to the G League Memphis Hustle, where he was told to Jackson to start his career again. He averaged 20.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.3 steals per game in 26 League G games and was named the NBA Mid-Season League for the Western Conference. .
After being called, Jackson averaged 10.4 points (with 43.9% shooting, 31.9% of three) and 3.2 rebounds in 18 games for the Grizzlies. He averaged 17 points in a five-game match in March before the season stopped due to the coronavirus COVID-19.
“It looks like a home. here (with Memphis), “said Jackson, who had some legal problems in Phoenix.
He was arrested at a concert in Miami, Florida for allegedly attempting to enter the VIP entrance several times and allegedly attempted to escape the police while being arrested. “After the exchange, I sat down and talked to the guys in the front office (Memphis). We have been really honest with each other from the start.
“I think that’s one of the things that got this started. It hasn’t been anything since I’ve been here. I did everything I said I would do. They did everything they said they would do.”
Of his time in Phoenix, the fourth pick in the 2017 NBA Draft said: “You come like a rookie. You play your first NBA game and after the second NBA game your coach is fired. You get a new manager, “he said, adding,” there were a lot of things that I went through on and off the pitch, things I got and things I couldn’t control. Take the good and the bad and learn from it at the end of the day and try to make better decisions. “
He also had some legal problems during his school year at KU. In 2016-17 he averaged 16.3 points and 7.4 rebounds as Jayhawk.
“I made some mistakes when I was younger. I’m not proud of everything I’ve done, but that’s what it is. I can’t go back and change anything. I can live now and be who I am, ”said Jackson, who said he turned to Tony Allen, Memphis Hustle player development coach, for mentoring and guidance.
Jackson – is a proud father of two young daughters (four months and 1 year and a half) – sounds like someone who would like to continue with the Grizzlies. He is a free agent in this low season.
“I try not to think about it,” Jackson said of the upcoming offseason on the grindcitymedia.com podcast. “All I can really do is come out and perform. I’m just trying to play it game by game, get out there and help my team win. Everyone loves a winner. This is what I want to be. I want to win.”
People in Memphis definitely hope Jackson will be an important part of the rotation for the rest of the season in the coming year.
“When the Memphis Grizzlies swapped with Josh Jackson last June, there was no idea what to expect from such a singularly talented, but troubled individual,” wrote SB Nation’s Nathan Chester. “There have also been several points during this season where there were questions about whether he would ever adapt as a member of the Grizzlies.
“But in the limited time he had with the Grizzlies, before the unfortunate suspension of the season, he really made the most of his opportunities and showed improvement in the key areas of his game. It was crucial to the Grizzlies’ most successful efforts to stay afloat in the absence of Jaren Jackson Jr. and Brandon Clarke. And hopefully, it will continue to be a high impact member of the Grizzlies’ rotation in Orlando and perhaps after this season. “
Chalmers hit 50 in victory
Former Kansas basketball combo guard Mario Chalmers, who said he would like to join an NBA team basically as a reserve guard, is hosting a show at The 5 Tournament Pro Basketball Invitational at the Orlando Arena in Las Vegas.
Chalmers, 34, who played in Greece during a 2019-20 season shortened due to the pandemic, exploded by 50 points – yes, 50 points – in Miami’s 119-90 victory over Chicago on Wednesday evening.
Chalmers scored 15 three in 29 attempts in Wednesday’s 3 out of 3 half-hour game. Altogether he scored 17 of 32 shots with seven assists, six rebounds and four stolen balls.
In Game One of Sunday’s tournament, Chalmers scored 26 points in 5-of-16 shots (13 out of 13 from the line; 3 out of 11 by three points) in Miami’s defeat in Texas. And on Tuesday, Chalmers scored 22 points in 7-of-20 shooting (5 of 14 out of three) with 11 rebounds and five assists in Miami’s victory over New York.
Former Jayhawks Darnell Jackson and Julian Wright are also playing in the tournament where members of the winning team shared $ 100,000. Brandon Rush, a former KU winger, initially signed up as a member of the Sacramento team, but does not attend the event.
Playing for New York, Jackson scored 17 points with 10 rebounds and three stolen in Tuesday’s loss in Miami. He had 17 points and 13 boards in Sunday’s defeat in Chicago.
Wright, playing for Toronto, scored four points in a defeat in Sacramento on Sunday. Wright scored five points and three thefts in Tuesday’s defeat in Texas.
“I definitely had the itch of being there to play and compete, having some fun, playing basketball with these guys,” said Chalmers before the tournament started.
Chalmers, who won two NBA titles with Miami Heat in his nine years in the NBA, fully recovered from the Achilles tear he suffered in 2016. He left the entire 2016-17 season before returning to the NBA with Memphis in 2017 -18. He has played abroad for the past two seasons.
This Las Vegas tournament, which runs through July 29, is available on FITE pay-per-view. Details are available on the5tournament.com.
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