Jaren Jackson Jr. could be the most versatile big man in the NBA Draft
The modern NBA has reconfigured how we think about big men. The back-to-the-basket behemoths are a thing of the past, now teams need players that can cover on the perimeter and defend the rim; players that can score in the post and stretch opposing defenses beyond the arc.
It’s a rare set of skills that not too many players have been able to package together yet. The 2018 NBA Draft has a glut of big men prospects at the top of draft boards for teams and while each offers something that all 30 franchises are looking for, there’s only one that comes ready made with the complete idealized skill set — Michigan State’s freshman forward, Jaren Jackson Jr.
Jackson Jr. was a McDonald’s All-American and a consensus top-10 recruit by Rivals (sixth), 247Sports (seventh) and ESPN (eighth) at the end of his senior season. Playing alongside Brian Bowen (South Carolina) and Jordan Tucker (Michigan), Jackson Jr. helped lead his La Lumiere team to a Dick’s High School National Championship as a senior.
Tom Izzo has a loaded frontcourt in East Lansing this year. Sophomores Nick Ward and Miles Bridges are back, redshirt veterans Gavin Schilling, Ben Carter, and Kenny Goins are Izzo favorites and there’s also freshmen Xavier Tillman who’s shown potential and promise in limited minutes.
However the Jackson Jr. quickly made a name for himself at the NCAA level as he went toe-to-toe with Duke’s frontcourt combo of Marvin Bagley III and Wendell Carter Jr in the State Farm Champions Classic this year. Jackson Jr finished that game with 19 points, seven rebounds, three blocks, one steal and shot 60 percent on 3-pointers.
Since that breakout performance, Jackson Jr has remained solid and has looked like the best NBA prospect for the Spartans. His biggest translatable skill is his ability to defend anywhere on the floor. Against the Blue Devils, he was a major deterrent at the rim for both Carter Jr and Bagley III.
He possesses such great length — he recorded a 7-foot-4 wingspan at the 2017 Nike Hoop Summit — and timing around the rim that it’s nearly impossible for the opposing team to get an open path to the rim when he’s on the court. He patrols the lane like a vulture, arms spread wide awaiting the next prey to cross his path. Even when it seems like there’s an open driving lane, Jackson Jr. quickly swoops in to shut it down.
That length helps when he finds himself guarding on the perimeter as well. He’s mobile enough to move step-for-step with most guards and just like he does with blocked shots, if a pass is floated in the air near him he snatches it away in a flash.
While he is arguably the best all-around defender in the NCAA this year, he has struggled with foul trouble. At just 18 years old (and six months younger than Bagley III by the way) Jackson Jr. doesn’t yet possess the nuance required to stay away from committing unnecessary fouls. When looking at his per 40 minutes statistics he’s nearly averaging enough fouls (5.9 fouls per 40) to get disqualified from an NBA game. Sometimes, the fouls are just a matter of him not maintaining complete control over his body and limbs and as he grows older and strengthens himself those issues should be rectified. Yet, for the time being, he’s going to really need to hone in on playing smarter defensively in order to receive ample playing time in the postseason tournaments that scouts will attend in droves.
The other part of being a unique modern big man is a versatile offensive game. Jackson Jr. might end being a much more impactful offensive player in the beginning stages of his NBA career. The 6-foot-11 forward, is the son of former sharpshooting guard Jaren Jackson (12-year NBA veteran) and that shows with his ability to shoot from the perimeter. Jackson Jr. has an unorthodox form, he starts his shot in a chest pass looking form and then twists the ball into his release. While it isn’t textbook, it has worked for Jackson Jr, as of Feb, 12 the freshmen is shooting 42.3 percent on 3-pointers.
But don’t think Jackson Jr is just a one-trick-pony, the slender big is comfortable putting the ball on the floor as well. He uses defenders overcompensating for his perimeter prowess against them if they close out too aggressively, and then finishes with thunderous dunks at the rim.
He won’t be asked to put the ball on the floor often in his first few seasons in the NBA, but with the proper training and development it could easily become part of his repertoire. The sky is truly the limit for Jackson Jr. as he has shown the ability to do a little bit of everything in what is likely to be his only year in college.
His unicorn potential was on full display in Michigan State’s first game against Maryland this season where he knocked down five 3-pointers and blocked three shots. There have only been three players to block 90 or more shots, make 30 or more 3-pointers while shooting 40 percent or better from beyond the arc. Jackson Jr.
is the first freshman to accomplish this and is the first player to do so playing in a power five conference (ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac 12, and SEC). With four games left in the regular season and the Big Ten and NCAA Tournament, which the Spartans should have deep runs in both, those totals could reach levels that no other player in NCAA history has accomplished.
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The 2018 class is shaping up to have some pretty stiff competition at the top for the number one spot and it’s a disservice to Jackson Jr to not at least mention his name as worthy of the slot based off what he’s done on the court this season. There will be several talented players entering the NBA next year, but only one has unicorn potential.