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Memphis Grizzlies superstar big man and reigning DPOY Jaren Jackson Jr. became the latest NBA player to release a rap song. Coming off his debut campaign with Team USA in the FIBA World Cup, Jackson Jr. released his first rap song under the name Trip J. The song is called Cucamonga and features Daicia.
Its release created mixed reactions, as many fans called him out for his poor FIBA World Cup performance. The Americans failed to win the title for a second straight edition (2019, 2023).
Jaren Jackson Jr. joined a list of former and current NBA players who have released rap songs before, including Shaquille O'Neal, Ron Artest and Damian Lillard, among others.
Jaren Jackson Jr. has sights set on title quest with Grizzlies & DPOY repeat
Following the FIBA World Cup, where Team USA finished fourth, and the release of his first rap song, Jaren Jackson Jr. has shifted his attention to the start of training camp and preseason. Memphis will start their training camp on Tuesday, Oct. 3.
This season will be crucial for the Grizzlies, who want to go deeper in the playoffs after a first-round playoff exit last year despite being the No.2 seed in the West with a 51-31 record.
Ja Morant will miss the first 25 games of the season following his suspension, and his return will be in December. Thus, Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane will have to cover his gap. Meanwhile, Memphis managed to bolster its backcourt line with the additions of Marcus Smart and Derrick Rose.
"We just gotta navigate it. Obviously, we know that not having Ja is a real big hole to fill, but, you know, he's not, it's not like he's not gonna be around. He's gonna give us all the tools to be able to get that done," Jaren Jackson Jr. said in early August, via ESPN.
That said, Jaren Jackson Jr. has another important reason to play at an elite level this year. More specifically, if he wins the DPOY award for a second straight year, he will become eligible for a massive deal in the summer of 2025. Per Bobby Marks of ESPN, this supermax extension would be for five years and a total of $318M.
At the moment, the versatile big man has three years left on his current deal with Memphis and is set to earn $27,1 million this year, $25,2 million in 2024-25 and $23,4 million in the 2025-26 season. If he becomes eligible for a supermax extension, though, his salary will increase to more than $60 million per year.
Last year, Jackson Jr. had averages of 18.6 ppg and 6.8 rpg in 63 games, while shooting 35.5 percent from beyond the arc.
