REPORT: Pair of Former Spartans Named Contenders for Prestigious Awards

Michigan State products Draymond Green and Jaren Jackson Jr. have each had a stellar NBA season.

Former Michigan State forwards Draymond Green and Jaren Jackson Jr. are projected by Michael Pina of The Ringer to make the NBA All-Defense First Team.

Jackson and Green are previous winners of the Defensive Player of the Year Award and have combined for 10 All-Defensive teams throughout their respective NBA careers.

Green has been on most of those All-Defensive teams, getting the nod eight times throughout his career, but he hasn’t made a First Team since 2021.

After the season-ending injury of Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, the race for Defensive Player of the Year became wide open. With the Golden State Warriors turning their season around at the same time, Green became a leading candidate for the award.

Green has been called the quarterback of the Warriors’ defense, which is ranked sixth in defensive efficiency this season. Without a true shot-blocking center, Green has taken responsibility for protecting the paint for Golden State.

Jackson is also on the shortlist for best defenders in the association. Playing in a career-high 74 games this season, He has been the dependable presence on defense that the Grizzlies have needed in a chaotic season. The 2023 Defensive Player of the Year is averaging 1.5 blocks per game this season, which ranks seventh in the NBA.

The Grizzlies’ recent slide to close the season has dropped them from the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference to the No. 8 seed, which qualifies for the Play-in Tournament. Memphis’ defense has taken a hit, ranking in the bottom half of the league with a 116.7 defensive efficiency over the past 20 games.

Pina touts Jackson as a contender to make an All-NBA team for the first time in his career. If the forward was to do so, he qualifies for a supermax extension that he would be eligible to sign with the Grizzlies this offseason.

The former Spartans also have to contend with Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley, who has been a key player on the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Green and Jackson have solidified themselves as some of the best defenders in basketball and it’s highly likely that they are both rewarded by being named to the 2024-25 All-Defensive First-Team.