The Step Back Composite NBA Draft Big Board: The best 30 draft prospects of the 2010s

No. 4 overall pick, Memphis Grizzlies, 2018

Jackson presented many of the same qualities as Porzingis — solid rim protection, shooting at 6-foot-11 — but had higher upside as a creation threat. Jackson’s handle was his secret weapon in college, as he would, every once in a while, just dust some poor, slow college 4 on the way to the rim with a wide crossover or fancy footwork. Jackson looked less farfetched as a true scoring weapon, able to handle the standard duties of the standard stretch-4 and put opponents on skates in face-up or perimeter opportunities.

Defensively, Jackson was a very sound prospect to bet on, given his decision-making on defense and his footwork on the perimeter. None of the bigs mentioned so far could switch like JJJ, and that might be more valuable than just the raw rim protection and rebounding that players like Ayton and Cousins provided.  But Jackson did suffer from foul trouble in college, and his discipline so far in the NBA has not been the best, to the point that it has limited his impact on that end thus far. He wasn’t a perfect defensive prospect, despite his moments of brilliance, and that keeps him from the next tier despite his excellent offensive potential.