It’s surreal but also possible, given the world we live in. Jaren Jackson Jr. is the main candidate to win the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, as he is a key player for the Memphis Grizzlies and the ideal rim protector, a man who is determined to lead his team all the way to the NBA trophy.
However, controversy has sparked after a user on the popular Reddit forum alleged that Jackson‘s numbers were fake.
He claimed that the scorekeeper was working in Grizzlies home games have allegedly inflated Jackson‘s block and steal numbers.
The Reddit evidence for the Jaren Jackson Jr conspiracy
Jackson has recorded 66 blocks and 22 steals, as well as 37 blocks and 12 steals in 17 matches away from home. The user’s evidence is based on his allegation that there were stolen balls that could not count, actions that should not add up.
“I would like to bring to your attention the scorekeeper of the Memphis Grizzlies,” the user wrote.
“I was wondering how a solid defensive player can suddenly have some specific statistical categories that are completely off the charts.
“I am referring to Jaren Jackson Jr.who, after having missed 16 games to start the season due to off-season foot surgery immediately started having extreme outlier high steals + blocks statistics, leading the entire NBA in blocks per game by a wide margin.
“In fewer minutes per game than other players Jaron Jackson repeatedly gets outlandish block numbers at home.
“I decided to take a closer look at his games and IMMEDIATELY one thing became crystal clear.
“At home in Memphis he has 66 blocks in 16 home games, averaging 4.13 blocks per game, versus just 35 in 16 road games, averaging 2.19 in nearly identical minutes- an 89 percent increase in Memphis.
“In home games he has been credited with 22 steals in 16 home games, versus only 10 steals in 16 road games. This means he is averaging nearly 1.4 steals per game at home, but just 0.63 steals on the road per game- an astounding 120 percent increase in Memphis.”
Breaking down the conspiracy theory
Meanwhile, The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor has reviewed all of Jackson‘s 66 blocks and he revealed that just three of them should not have counted.
“I watched every block by Jaren Jackson Jr. in slow motion from alternate angles to investigate the NBA Reddit thread claiming the Grizzlies scorekeeper is ‘posting fraudulent numbers’,” he wrote on Twitter.
“But only 3 of his 66 home blocks are incorrectly labeled, a completely insignificant amount.”
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