The 50 greatest NBA players of the 2020s (so far), ranked

35) Jaren Jackson Jr.

Nicknamed the "Block Panther," Memphis Grizzlies star Jaren Jackson Jr. has developed into one of the best defensive players in the NBA over the first five years of his career. Thus far, he has already led the league in blocks per game twice and made the All-Defensive First-Team back-to-back seasons in 2021-22 and 2022-23, not to mention that he won Defensive Player of the Year in 2023.

That dominance on the defensive end is hard to ignore, and while Jackson Jr. isn't as good of an offensive player, he has made strides on that end. Last season, in 2023–24, Jackson Jr. averaged a career-high 22.5 points per game while the Grizzlies struggled without their best player, Ja Morant. While he still has a ways to go on that end of the floor, it was an encouraging sign that JJJ can be an elite two-way player.

At 24 years old, he will still be in his 20s by the end of the 2020s and he has a chance to add to his resume. Thus far, he has only made one all-star team in 2022–23 and probably would have made it in 2023–24 had it not been for the Grizzlies struggles.

He should be able to make at least a couple more all-star teams as well as several all-defensive teams. Factor in potential team success with the Grizzlies having one of the best young cores in the NBA and Jackson Jr. could move up this list by decade's end.