In the NBA, talent alone doesn’t always cut it. Numbers aren’t enough. Even accolades aren’t enough. For Jaren Jackson Jr., it was a stinging reminder that in a league dominated by stars, timing, reputation, and media buzz frequently count for more than pure output. This season, he landed one selection short of one of the richest contracts in NBA history—the much-hyped supermax extension, which pays out nearly $350 million.
Instead? He ends up with a little less than $150 million.
Not that he stank up the joint. Not because he didn’t deserve it. But the 2025 All-NBA race, man, the field was just too deep. Too many big names. Too few spots.
Numbers of Jaren Jackson Jr.
Let’s break it down.
- 22.2 points per game
- All-Star selection
- All-Defensive Team honoree
Triple J — as he is affectionately known across the league — did not just materialize this season. He dominated. With Jackson at the heart of the Memphis Grizzlies defense, the line was consistently fortified without full-scale construction, and there you still had his 20+ points every night. The two-way forward gets better and better each season, and now he’s adding layers to his offensive game and becoming even more of a factor behind the glass.
This was a career season by any metric.
But it wasn’t enough.
The All-NBA Logjam
Here’s the harsh reality: Making an All-NBA team in 2025 wasn’t merely about being really good. It was about being undeniable in a field crowded with megastars, all with their own narratives, fanbases, and media reach.
The NBA officially went positionless in various All-NBA selections this year. That closed-off look was intended to allow players like JJJ — who don’t fit the traditional labels — a better shot.
But what it did, in reality, was to lift a dam.
All of a sudden, guards, forwards, and centers were competing for the same 15 roster spots. The result? A top-heavy race filled with MVP candidates, elite scorers, and superstars.
Names like
Nikola Jokić
Joel Embiid
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Jayson Tatum
LeBron James
Kevin Durant
Luka Dončić
Shai Gilgeous-A
Anthony Edwards
Stephen Curry
Kawhi Leonard
Devin Booker
Tyrese Haliburton
Jaylen Brown
Anthony Davis
Even if you had a quality season, like JJJ did, there wasn’t any room.
One Spot Away, $200 Million Poorer
This is where it gets painful: Jaren Jackson Jr. ended up just short.
If he were selected to any of the three All-NBA teams (first, second, or third), he would have been eligible for a supermax extension under the league’s Designated Veteran Player Exception (DVPE). That deal would have made his earnings nearly $350 million over five years.
Instead, he’s stuck with his current deal — a still lucrative, but by comparison modest, $147 million.
Just one more vote. Just one more spot.
And the gap? A staggering $200 million.
All-Defense, But Not All-NBA?
It’s a bitter irony. Jaren Jackson Jr. is one of the best defenders on the planet. He’s a former Defensive Player of the Year already. His size and quickness with which he moves his feet to switch onto guards, block shots, and patrol the paint are elite. He’s versatile, athletic, and cerebral — the quintessential modern NBA big.
And yet, such brilliance wasn’t good enough to earn placement on the All-NBA list.
Why?
Because defense is rarely going to win you votes in an award race driven by offensive stats and highlight reels.
The story remains the same every year — defense is revered, but offense is what makes headlines.
The Harsh Business of the NBA
For fans, All-NBA is a mere silly argument. For players such as JJJ, it marks a life-changing event.
This time around, the real dollars are marked to designations like All-NBA. It’s not just about pride. It’s about contractual eligibility. It’s not only the ego that feels the sting of missing out — the bank account does, too.
In Jaren’s case, that’s $40 million a year he can’t go near. Not because of injury. Not because of inconsistency. But because of circumstance.
What’s Next for JJJ?
Although there is little consolation, there is still so, so much positive about Jaren Jackson Jr.’s future.
He’s only 25 years old. He even keeps getting better, season after season. He’s already a franchise player, and if he keeps on this path, he’ll be in the mix for All-NBA for years to come.
There’s also an increasingly influential contingent within the league that players like JJJ (as advanced stats nerds call him), who are elite defenders that also happen to be able to score at a high level, deserve more shine in these award conversations. The media and voters are changing, slowly. Slowly.
For now Jackson will have to take this snub as motivation. It’s fuel. It’s fire.
And when it’s next season, you can bet he’ll be back in the spotlight.
Final Thought: It’s Not Just What You Did
Sometimes it’s not about the amount of points you scored. Not a question of how many shots you blocked. Not even about how much you worked.
Between the lines is often how stacked the room was.
Jaren Jackson Jr. showed up. The numbers were there. The defense was elite. The All-Star nod was earned. He checked every box.
Yet in a league of legends and rising stars, checking the boxes is not always sufficient.
Triple J didn’t lose for lack of trying.
He lost because this season, the All-NBA stage was just too crowded to fit another star.
The biggest bag in NBA history was one spot away from belonging to Jaren Jackson Jr.
And that is the cruel beauty of pro sports.