25-under-25: The best of the rest

MILWAUKEE, WI - FEBRUARY 29: Jabari Parker #12 drives to the basket and throws the ball off the backboard for Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the game against the Houston Rockets on February 29, 2016 at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 12: Josh Jackson #99 of the Phoenix Suns shoots the ball during the game against the Utah Jazz during the 2017 Las Vegas Summer League on July 12, 2017 at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) /

35. Josh Jackson, Phoenix Suns

There is a growing trend in the NBA that favors versatility. Players who can play multiple positions and defend all over the floor have seen their values skyrocket. They may be a bit rough around the edges or have some skills that need more development, but their length and athleticism have become more valuable.

A decade ago, these players would have been called tweeners. Their lack of a defined NBA skill would be decried as a hindrance as coaches tried to figure out which box to put them in. Super athletes like Stromile Swift, Darius Miles and Tyrus Thomas found themselves bouncing between the perimeter and the post — too small to guard bigger players but not skilled enough to play the perimeter.

That notion has gone out the window. These days, players do not need to have a jump shot or much in the way of basketball skill if they fit a physical profile and are willing to play defense. The skills can develop over time, especially since players enter the league at 19 nowadays.

Josh Jackson would very much be one of those super athletic tweeners a decade ago. But he now holds a ton of promise because of his athleticism and defensive acumen.

Never mind he shot 56.6 percent from the foul line and has a funky jumper that NBA scouts are worried will not translate to the league. Jackson came on strong toward the end of the season for the Kansas Jayhawks and put some of his shooting woes to rest. He finished the year averaging 16.3 points per game with a 55.2 percent effective field goal percentage.

The fourth overall selection to the Phoenix Suns now joins a team full of similarly long and athletic wings that should be a terror defensively in the future, all with Devin Booker potentially going supernova.

Jackson himself showed incredible smarts with how he attacked the basket and worked off the ball. He was surprisingly effective as a scorer and an effective rebounder. He has everything that could translate well to the NBA — long arms, a willingness to defend and a growing 3-point shot.

Jackson, in other words, is a perfect prospect for the modern NBA. Someone who shows the potential to help continue this wave of new wings that can do just about anything anyone can imagine.

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