Jaren Jackson Jr. may be a former Defensive Player of the Year, but during Saturday night’s showdown with the Los Angeles Lakers, he added a new line to his resume: Flop of the Year candidate. In a game with major playoff implications, Jackson was assessed a rare in-game flopping technical foul after an exaggerated fall following a minor bump from LeBron James—a moment that went viral almost instantly.
Jaren Jackson Jr. receives a technical for a flop worthy of an Oscar, upon review.
Quite a theatrical.
With replays. pic.twitter.com/0WI4F65Ill
— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) March 30, 2025
The incident occurred late in the third quarter, with the Grizzlies trailing 101-97. As Lakers guard Gabe Vincent hoisted a corner three, Jackson came flying in to contest, only to suddenly fall flat on his back after what appeared to be a feather-light brush from LeBron.
Initially, officials whistled James for an offensive foul, much to his disbelief. The four-time MVP immediately called for a review and pleaded his case to the bench.
Upon review, the officials not only overturned the offensive foul but slapped Jackson with a technical for flopping. The ruling gave the Lakers a free throw, which Austin Reaves calmly buried to push the lead to five. It was a crucial swing in a game the Lakers would go on to win 134-127.
The NBA has attempted to crack down on flopping in recent years, instituting both postgame fines and in-game technicals for what they call “secondary, theatrical, and exaggerated movements”—criteria Jackson met with flying colors.
According to the NBA’s STEM (Secondary, Theatrical, Exaggerated Movements) protocol, Jackson’s reaction checked all the boxes: dramatic fall, no equitable contact, and clear embellishment.
While flopping fines and retroactive penalties have been dished out more frequently this season, in-game flopping techs remain exceedingly rare. Jackson became one of the few players this year to be punished on the spot for the infraction—ironically against LeBron James, who’s had his own history of embellishments over the years.
There’s no doubt the flop hurt Memphis in more ways than one. Not only did they lose a critical point in a tight game, but it also reflected poorly on a team trying to find its identity following the shocking dismissal of head coach Taylor Jenkins. Jackson, despite scoring 24 points on an efficient 8-13 shooting night, ended up being the center of postgame discourse for all the wrong reasons.
It was an unfortunate moment for a player who’s vital to the Grizzlies’ postseason hopes. Jackson’s foul-prone reputation resurfaced as a hot topic among fans and analysts, with many pointing out that costly mistakes like these often overshadow his elite defensive contributions.
Meanwhile, credit must go to the officiating crew for making the correct call after review. In an era where flopping can swing entire games, the league’s message was clear: exaggerate at your own risk. For Jaren Jackson Jr., that message came with a whistle, a fine, and a wave of social media ridicule.
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