NBA Rookie Ladder: March Madness memories

2. Justin Jackson vs Gonzaga (16 points)

The national title game against the Gonzaga Bulldogs was not Justin Jackson’s best game of the 2017 NCAA Tournament, but it is definitely the one that he won’t forget. A slow start to the first half probably stripped any chance of Jackson taking home Most Outstanding Player honors of the Final Four, but when the North Carolina Tar Heels needed him most, Jackson answered the bell. His and-one layup with less than two minutes left gave the Tar Heels the lead for good and his fastbreak slam dunk sealed the deal in the closing seconds.

Jackson was the offensive leader for the Tar Heels all season long as a junior. He finally developed into the player many projected him to be when he entered the college ranks as a McDonald’s All-American four years ago. Jackson’s ability to be a knock down shooter from the perimeter opened the interior for big men Kennedy Meeks and Isaiah Hicks dominate down low.

North Carolina was out for revenge after losing the 2016 national title game to Villanova on a three-point buzzer beater by Wildcats forward, Kris Jenkins. Jackson was called upon to replace the production that Marcus Paige had given them and he was able to seamlessly transition into that role of go-to player. Winning a national championship is no small accomplishment. Jackson enter’s the NBA with the reputation of being a winner and on a franchise like the Sacramento Kings player’s with that type of attitude are desperately needed.

Oddly enough, in the new age one-and-done era of college basketball, Jackson is the lone player from last year’s national champions to be in the NBA the following season. The Kings have other rookies who have made a bigger impact for the team in their first season with Bogdan Bogdanovic and De’Aaron Fox, but Jackson’s development is key to their future. Jackson has been mentored by none other than Half-Man, Half-Amazing himself Vince Carter all year long.