Michigan State’s Jaren Jackson Jr. declares for 2018 NBA Draft

Widely projected as a top-five pick, Jaren Jackson Jr. has declared for the 2018 NBA Draft.

On Monday afternoon, just over two weeks after the season ended for the Michigan State Spartans with a loss to Syracuse in the NCAA Tournament, Jaren Jackson Jr. has announced he will enter the 2018 NBA Draft after one season.

Jackson Jr. averaged 10.9 points, 5.8 rebounds per game with a school record 106 blocked shots  (3.0 per game) this past season for the Spartans. He was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, while also earning All-Big Ten Third Team honors.

Jackson Jr., who is listed at 6-foot-11 with a 7-foot-4 wingspan, also converted 39.6 percent of his three-pointers (38-for-96) in his lone season playing for Tom Izzo and was an asset the foul line (79.7 percent).

Jackson was No. 3 on The Step Back’s Big Board before the NCAA Tournament, which fits with his standing as a potential top-five pick. His pro potential is an upside projection itself, since he averaged just under 22 minutes per game last season as part of a deep Michigan State frontcourt rotation. But Jackson has the physical tools and versatility to meet that upside and fit well in today’s NBA.

Jackson’s father Jaren Sr. was undrafted out of Georgetown, but wound up playing 12 NBA seasons (1989-2002) for nine teams with some time in the CBA mixed in early in that run.

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There was some speculation Jackson would go back to Michigan State for his sophomore season, as former teammate Miles Bridges did a year ago before going pro himself this year. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to win a national title, with the prestige that brings. But being a potential top five (or even top three) NBA draft pick makes returning to school for one more year a risk not worth taking for Jackson.