These young NBA players might’ve peaked too early..
In the NBA, hope springs eternal every time a new rookie steps onto the court. Fans and front offices alike dream of the next superstar, the player who will transform a franchise and lead them to glory. But for every LeBron James or Victor Wembanyama, there are dozens of young talents who burst onto the scene, only to find their careers in limbo just a few years later. Sometimes, a player peaks before the league even learns their name. Other times, a promising prospect is undone by flaws that are impossible to ignore.
This season, three young players—GG Jackson, Jeremy Sohan, and Keegan Murray—find themselves at a crossroads. Their stories are a reminder that NBA careers are rarely linear, and the journey from rising star to reliable contributor is fraught with challenges. Let’s dig into how and why their teams changed their minds, and what the future might hold for these once-hyped prospects.
GG Jackson: From Teenage Sensation to Troubled Prospect
When GG Jackson scored 44 points against the Denver Nuggets at just 19 years and 119 days old, he became the second-youngest player in NBA history to record a 40-point game—only behind LeBron James. For a brief moment, Jackson was the talk of the league. He had exploded onto the scene as a second-round pick, a relatively unknown prospect from South Carolina, and brought excitement to a Grizzlies team in desperate need of hope.
Jackson’s path was anything but traditional. He didn’t play for the first half of his rookie season, but when he finally got his chance, he seized it with both hands. His story—going from the G-League to a two-way contract, then to a rising young star on an NBA franchise—resonated with fans. His bubbly smile and obvious joy for the game made him easy to root for. But beneath the surface, there were warning signs that would soon become impossible to ignore.
The Red Flags: Maturity and Discipline
Jackson was heavily scouted prior to his arrival in the NBA, and one major red flag kept him from being a first-round pick: his maturity. The most infamous moment came during his college days, after a particularly tough loss. Jackson went on Instagram Live and delivered a rant, criticizing his coaches for not giving him enough minutes and benching him during crunch time. It wasn’t just a one-off; several moments during college revealed poor body language and lethargic effort in pre-draft workouts.
Teams were scared off by his reputation as a “walking headcase.” Despite a successful rookie year, Jackson’s troubles continued. He was fined four different times and even suspended by the team for misconduct. One notable incident happened when he arrived at practice out of shape and out of breath, forcing him to leave early. When a reporter tried to ask him what happened, Jackson was found vaping in the locker room—a moment that summed up the organization’s concerns about his professionalism.
For a second-round pick, the Grizzlies figured the risk was worth it. But as Jackson’s career progressed, those concerns proved prescient.
The Injury Setback
On August 27, Jackson’s rise hit a major roadblock: a broken foot kept him out for the first three months of his sophomore season. When he returned, it was clear he needed more time to adjust. His entire second year was considered a recovery and rehab period, with the hope that he’d regain his form in his third season.
But things started off rocky. The Grizzlies, crippled by injuries to key players like Ty Jerome, Zach Edey, Brandon Clarke, and Scottie Pippen Jr., were granted a hardship exception from the NBA to add another player to the roster. Despite this, Jackson still couldn’t crack the rotation—a bad sign for his future with the team.
Defensive Struggles and Offensive Inconsistency
The reasons for Jackson’s struggles are simple. He’s one of the worst defenders in the league, plagued by poor instincts and lack of effort—issues that haunted him in college and remain unresolved. Offensively, Jackson can deliver exhilarating performances, but he’s a net negative. As a power forward, he lacks the skills you want: rebounding, boxing out, and interior defense. He exudes more guard-like skills, but even then, his shooting is inconsistent and his handles are subpar.
Some have called him “the homeless version of Kevin Durant”—a harsh but telling critique. Watching him play, it’s hard to identify any NBA-caliber skills. How did he blow up in his rookie year? The answer lies in context. The Grizzlies were without Ja Morant and losing a ton of games. In a season of tanking, Jackson was given free rein to take all the shots he wanted. The team was essentially experimenting, hoping for a diamond in the rough.
In reality, Jackson’s flaws have become too glaring to ignore. He’s fallen out of the rotation, and the Grizzlies don’t seem to see him in their future plans. For now, Jackson’s NBA dream hangs in the balance.
Jeremy Sohan: The Versatile Project Who Lost His Place
Few young players have generated as much intrigue as Jeremy Sohan. At 22 years old, Sohan’s playing time has been cut in half, and the Spurs are thriving without him—a tough pill to swallow for a player once seen as a cornerstone of the Victor Wembanyama era.
When Wembanyama arrived, it seemed like he and Sohan were destined to become a great one-two punch. Sohan’s first three years in the league were filled with promise. He could play one through four, was praised for his versatility, and even drew comparisons to point forwards like Draymond Green. Gregg Popovich experimented with Sohan at point guard, a testament to the coach’s faith in his potential.
But there was a problem: the Spurs kept losing. Despite starting for his first two years, Sohan began to see his minutes dwindle, and by his fourth year, he was a full-time benchwarmer.
The Role Conundrum
What happened? The Spurs had a hard time figuring out what to do with Sohan. On paper, he had all the tools to be a great player. But he never figured out how to utilize them effectively. The team realized they needed someone who could plug into their system and play well alongside Wembanyama—a player with a defined skill set, not a jack-of-all-trades.
That’s why Julian Champagnie leapfrogged ahead of Sohan in the rotation. Champagnie fits the role of a traditional 3-and-D wing player: a better defender and a much better three-point shooter than Sohan. That’s what the Spurs need—not someone who can do a bunch of things okay, but someone who can do a few things very well.
The team even prefers the older, more experienced Harrison Barnes, who’s happy to stand in the corner and shoot threes. If they want someone off the bench who can get a bucket, they turn to Keldon Johnson, who’s better at creating his own shot than Sohan.
A Changing Team Identity
With the Spurs trying to solidify their playoff position, this is the first time in the Wembanyama era where they have a winning record. The truth is, Sohan no longer has a productive role on this team. He’s viewed as a project player who could potentially get better down the road, but maybe not in San Antonio.
It became obvious by the October deadline: Sohan did not get an extension on his rookie deal. It’s common for players and teams to have disagreements on rookie extensions, but the Spurs didn’t even consider him for one. The writing is on the wall. He’s been getting inconsistent minutes for over a year, and it looks like the coaching staff is trying to find a place where he can fit in—but they simply don’t know where.
Sohan is currently a jack-of-all-trades, master of none. He’s an okay ball handler, an okay passer, an okay rebounder, an okay shot creator, but there’s no skill where he excels. If the team needs something specific, they have someone else who’s better at it.
With their push to contend now, the Jeremy Sohan experiment is over. There’s no more time to wait. He got left in the dust on a Spurs team that’s flourishing without him.
Keegan Murray: The Sharpshooter Who Lost His Touch
Keegan Murray’s rookie season was one for the history books. He still holds the record for most threes made in a season by a rookie, with 206—more than Donovan Mitchell and Damian Lillard in their debut years. That same year, the Kings ended their 16-year playoff drought, and Murray was a key contributor.
But the years that followed have been less kind. Murray’s three-point shot has regressed, and while he’s become a much better defender, his overall game has stagnated. Prior to the 2025-26 season, the Kings granted him a five-year, $140 million extension—a move that baffled many observers.
The Contract Dilemma
Some defended the contract, noting that $28 million per year is reasonable for a young player who’s a critical piece of the team. But Murray was coming off a year where he shot career lows across the board. Perhaps the team should have waited and let him enter restricted free agency, retaining flexibility if his performance didn’t bounce back.
On the plus side, Murray’s contract isn’t big enough to make him untradeable. If the Kings decide to blow it up and put his name on the trade block, it wouldn’t be hard to move him and start over. The extension gives them more flexibility, but if the front office had known the Kings would have their most disastrous season in years, they might have hesitated.
Murray’s new extension will last until 2031. Who knows where the Kings will be by then?
Injuries and a Changing Offense
Murray has dealt with injuries, particularly a thumb injury that messed up his jumper. But his decline in shooting is more than that—it correlates with the Kings’ regression as a team. The roster has changed dramatically. A few years ago, they were an exciting young team with fresh legs and a style of play that emphasized spacing and hitting the right guy. Now, the offense is completely different.
With veterans like Russell Westbrook and DeMar DeRozan on the floor at the same time, there’s no spacing. The Kings have dropped from top 10 in three-point attempts and percentage to 29th in attempts. This has made it hard for their best player, Domantas Sabonis, to benefit from his passing ability because the floor is so congested. His assist numbers have been cut in half, and the team isn’t running plays through him as much as before.
Much of the team’s possessions have been gobbled up by Zach LaVine, DeRozan, and Westbrook. As a result of the bad spacing and stagnant offense, Murray and the other role players have suffered. It’s hard to blame Murray for his regression; the team’s style of play simply doesn’t suit his strengths anymore.
The Road Ahead
With how bad the Kings are doing and how old they’ve become, it wouldn’t be surprising if they push the reset button and start over completely. Murray’s contract gives them options, but his future as a cornerstone piece is far from certain.
Roster Reality: The Thin Line Between Hope and Doubt
The stories of GG Jackson, Jeremy Sohan, and Keegan Murray are reminders of how quickly fortunes can change in the NBA. Jackson’s meteoric rise was fueled by opportunity and context, but his flaws have caught up to him. Sohan’s versatility was once his greatest asset, but in a league that values defined roles, he’s been left behind. Murray’s shooting made him a record-setter, but a changing team identity and injuries have clouded his future.
For every young player who lives up to the hype, there are dozens who struggle to find their place. Sometimes, the problem is fit. Sometimes, it’s injuries. Sometimes, it’s a lack of development or maturity. And sometimes, it’s simply the unforgiving nature of the league itself.
What’s Next?
Will GG Jackson overcome his maturity issues and find a role on a new team? Can Jeremy Sohan reinvent himself and carve out a niche in San Antonio or elsewhere? Will Keegan Murray rediscover his shooting touch and justify his contract, or will the Kings move on as they rebuild?
These are the questions that haunt front offices and fans alike. The NBA is a league of opportunity, but it’s also a league of ruthless competition. Only time will tell if these young players can turn things around—or if their stories will serve as cautionary tales for the next generation.
