GG Jackson soared through the air as Vince Williams Jr. tossed a lob pass in the direction of the Memphis Grizzlies rookie. Jackson wanted to do something nice, but he also didn't want to mess up and risk being taken out of the game.

Jackson caught the ball for a two-handed reverse dunk that energized the FedExForum crowd. The 19-year-old rookie showcased his offensive upside in a 20-point performance against the New York Knicks on Saturday night. The Grizzlies lost 106-94, but Jackson's night gives Memphis something to build on.

He made 9 of his 14 shots and became the youngest player in the NBA to reach 20 points this season.

"He's really talented," Grizzlies guard Luke Kennard said. "He loves basketball. He loves to work. He's had a great year playing with the Hustle, and now he's going to take advantage of his opportunity. We just keep telling him to be aggressive, be himself and have fun. I think tonight he did a really good job."

Jackson's ability to put the ball on the floor and create for himself makes him a necessity for the Grizzlies (14-25). Memphis did a good job of moving the basketball against the Knicks (23-16) with 27 assists, but having a player who can get to comfortable situations when the offense breaks down is crucial in today's NBA.

Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Derrick Rose are some of the Grizzlies' best options at breaking down a defense and creating for themselves or teammates, but none of those players were available Saturday. Jackson finished with just one assist, but he made shots near the end of the shot clock and gave Memphis an offensive spark.

"I thought he tried to play the game the right way," Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said. "Obviously he scored 20 points, but he moved the ball, even though it was maybe not directly to an assist. . . . He played with a lot of confidence on both sides of the floor. Love what he did tonight. He's been working hard for this opportunity."

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A big step for young players is believing that they belong. Jackson, who has got most of his playing time with the G League Memphis Hustle since being drafted, mentioned how Saturday's performance can be a confidence boost for him going forward.

The entire professional basketball journey is still a daze to Jackson. When the Grizzlies came into the locker room at halftime after Jackson led the team with 12 first-half points, he looked over to Kennard and asked him if this moment was real.

In the last two days alone, the Grizzlies teenager has matched up with strong NBA forwards like Julius Randle and Kawhi Leonard. Jackson is holding his own, and now with a plethora of injuries in the Grizzlies rotation, he's positioned to get more opportunities.

"I'm starting to see that I'm the same size as a lot of these guys," Jackson said. "Obviously they got more weight on me, but I feel like I can compete with them."

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Grizzlies rookie GG Jackson showcases offensive potential vs Knicks