Jaren Jackson explained how NBA2K helps his shot blocking

Jaren Jackson set a career-high for blocked shots a couple games ago, and he has now let out the secret to that success.

After winning just 22 games last year, and even with a current three-game losing streak, the Memphis Grizzlies are 12-8 so far this season. Rookie Jaren Jackson is filling the stat sheet well so (12.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 1.4 assists per game), though foul trouble has been a thing (5.7 fouls per-36 minutes).

On Sunday against the New York Knicks, Jackson had 16 points (4-for-4 from 3-point range), six rebounds, three assists and a career-high seven blocked shots. He has multiple blocks in six of his last nine games, averaging 2.8 per game over that span compared to 1.5 blocks per game over the first 11 games of the season.

Turns out Jackson has an explanation for his shot-blocking prowess against the Knicks, and perhaps for his overall recent uptick in rejections.

Jackson credits the NBA2K video game for helping his timing when he blocks shots. It has not been a perfect science, as evidenced by his five fouls in just 19 minutes against the Toronto Raptors Tuesday night and five fouls in three of his last four games (five of the last eight contests). But amid an overall uptick in production, as he is averaging 13.9 points per game while converting nearly 59 percent from the floor over his last nine games (15.1 points per game and a shade over 60 percent from the floor in the eight games prior to Tuesday night), the Grizzlies will surely live with a foul-heavy game from Jackson.

The value of a video game as an actual teaching tool can be dismissed easily, and there’s a line where it would stretch into being a real distraction for a young player like Jackson. But credit to him for finding a practical application as he plays NBA2K, and there are far worse things he could be doing when he’s away from the team.