NBA Rookie Rankings: 5 players with the most long-term potential

TARRYTOWN, NY - AUGUST 12: Michael Porter Jr. #1 of the Denver Nuggets poses for a portrait during the 2018 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot on August 12, 2018 at the Madison Square Garden Training Facility in Tarrytown, New York. 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 2018 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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PHILADELPHIA, PA – DECEMBER 2: Jaren Jackson Jr. #13 of the Memphis Grizzlies controls the ball against Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on December 2, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

2. Jaren Jackson Jr.

When you watch Jackson play for the Grizzlies it’s clear he oozes potential. He runs the court like a deer and his stroke from three, while unorthodox, is highly effective. The question of how he can become a perennial All-Star is much more complicated.

Defensively it’s easy to see how Jackson can grow into one of the most valuable post players in the NBA. Memphis doesn’t ask him to switch a ton on the perimeter right now, but it’s clearly a skill he possesses. In the right defensive scheme that will be a huge plus for the talented rookie.

Offensively, there’s a real divide between fans who want to see him jack up a ton of threes and those who want to see him spend more time in the post. The reality is that he needs to do both things to achieve his full offensive potential. He does need to take more 3-pointers, but he shouldn’t go away from sprinting to the rim in transition in search of early post-up opportunities.

The dividing line for Jackson is whether or not he can develop enough of a face-up game to really become an offensive threat at all three levels. We know he can make 3s and score at the rim. If he adds the ability to take defenders off the dribble from the mid-post he’s going to be impossible to guard.

Jackson is already an effective player for the Grizzlies, but he’s just scratching the surface of what he can do in his career. The best case outcome for him as a player is a borderline Hall of Famer.

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