Scouting Report: Demetrius Jackson

Name: Demetrius Jackson DOB: 9/11/1993 (22) School: Notre Dame

Height: 6’1 Weight: 201 Projected Position: PG

2015-16 Stats:

15.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 4.7 apg, 1.2 spg, 2.2 tpg, (35.9 mpg)

45.1 FG%, 81.3 FT%, 33.1 3FG%, 56.0 TS%, 51.4 eFG%

24.1 USG%, 25.1 AST%, 13.3 TOV%, 2.1 STL%, 2.2:1 A/TO

SKILLS & ATHLETIC BREAKDOWN

Offense

Ballhandling/Penetration/Passing

While he was counted on to put up points, especially this past season, Jackson has proven to be a very good point guard, and an integral piece to keep the Irish offense moving. Jackson is an excellent ballhandler, with the ability to use both hands well, and able to attack the basket, or create space for his shot, in either direction. He has a quick first step to the basket, which he uses well when drawing defenders out to guard his jumper, and he is very good at mixing speeds, using a strong hesitation dribble then speed burst to freeze defenders. Though screens were an integral part of his offense, Jackson has the speed to go away from pick and beat his man, or beat many defenders in isolation. Jackson has good control when he gets into the defense, and while he can have some trouble finishing around the basket due to his size, he is strong and athletic, which allows him to take on bigger defenders and draw contact.

Jackson has excelled as a pick-and-roll ballhandler, with ability to create his own shots or set up his teammates. He uses his speed, combined with changes of pace, to keep defenders off-balance, and he does a great job accelerating around the corner of the screen when the opportunity is there. Jackson makes his reads quickly, drawing defenders, and finding teammates before the defense can finish their rotations. He has good court vision, and shows some nice touch on his passes, especially going up high to hit the roll man, though he can be a bit ambitious with some his pass attempts.

Perimeter Shooting

As a freshman and sophomore, Jackson hit over 42 percent combined from long-range, but he saw a big dip this season, dropping down to 33 percent. Mechanically, he is still a strong shooter, he just didn’t pick his spots as well, and the absence of Jerian Grant also put a bit more pressure on him. Though he may not be the 42-percent shooter from behind the arc long-term, he is a better shooter than this past season showed. As a spot shooter, Jackson has a fairly quick, compact motion and release, with range close to NBA three-point line. One thing he can do to help him get better looks is to not drop the ball below his waist off the catch before going into his motion. The added second to shoot allows defenders to close on him, and at 6’1, Jackson needs the space. Jackson uses his dribble and screens well to create space, especially as a pick-and-roll ballhandler, though he doesn’t have the accuracy off the dribble as he does as a spot shooter. He has a tendency to drift in the direction he is moving off the dribble, causing his shot to drift with him, so learning to come to a stop and go straight up will be important. Even when he was having tough shooting nights, Jackson’s shot selection is good from the perimeter, though when pushing the pace, he can take some ill-advised shots, but not an inordinate amount. He is a capable mid-range shooter off the dribble, showing the ability to clear space in either direction to knock down shots, and he has shown some touch with a short-to-mid-range floater, though he needs to be more consistent with it.

Free Throw Shooting

Jackson has been a reliable free throw shooter the past few years, including a career best 81 percent this past season. Jackson has a consistent routine, smooth motion, and good release. Though he took a majority of his shots as mid- and long-range jumpers, Jackson still did a very good job getting to the line (almost 33 percent free throw rate), and his aggressiveness down the stretch of close games often resulted in free throw attempts.

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Defense

Perimeter Defense (On/Off Ball)

Jackson has been a solid defender in his college career, but he really stepped up his ability to contain as a junior. On the ball, Jackson positions himself well, for the most part, between his man and the basket, shows a good defensive stance, and has strong lateral movement over short and medium distances. He does need to watch a tendency to play too far up on his man with the ball, leading to him getting beat by guys who have no business doing so. Jackson has above-average foot speed, and though he can be a bit slow to react to his man’s movements, especially changes in direction, which can often throw him off-balance, he can recover well, even if he could improve his ability to use angles more efficiently to cut off penetration. Jackson doesn’t have great size, but he is strong, and even bigger ballhandlers can have some trouble trying to power by him. Jackson needs to do a better job getting over screens, and learning not to rely on switches that result in mismatches. He shows quick hands, and though he doesn’t often play for steals, he can make even simple passes a hazard for opponents by getting his hands up quickly to deflect.

Off the ball, Jackson positions himself well, moves and pivots well, and has the ability to deny passing lanes effectively. He is active off the ball, and he has very good awareness, which combined with his quickness, can lead to some easy steals. He won’t overplay passing lanes often, preferring to pressure the ball once the pass is received. Jackson is a good help defender, picking his spots well to double the ball, though he needs to watch cheating too much towards the ball, especially when defending a good shooter. He does a good job chasing his man off the ball, though he can find himself wrapped up in screens around the crowded lane area. Jackson does a good job closing on shooters on the perimeter, and even if he closes strong, he works on not getting drawn in the air by shot fakes.

Rebounding

Jackson isn’t a great rebounder on either end of the floor, but he does a good job tracking shots and chasing down rebounds on the defensive end, allowing him to start his team in transition. He uses his athletic ability well to go up strong after rebounds, but is also crafty enough to sneak in among bigger players and get the ball. One thing he needs to watch for is his man looking to make a run from the perimeter to grab the missed shot, especially since Jackson rarely looks to put a body on someone. On the offensive end, he is quick to get after long rebounds, and, if he is near the basket, he will battle for the ball with bigger opponents.

Transition

Jackson can be very good scorer in transition, capable of pushing the ball quickly up court as the ballhandler, and either attacking the basket off the dribble, using great change-of-pace to keep defenders off-balance, or pulling up for a mid- or long-range jumper. Jackson shows excellent control with the ball, using smooth changes in direction to turn defenders around, and using a strong speed burst when sees an opening to the rim. He sees the floor well when pushing the ball, though does need to watch forcing some passes, especially before he draws defenders to him, or not looking to make a pass until he is stuck too far in the defense. However, for the most part, he moves the ball quickly up the floor and does a great job hitting his teammates in great spots for a quick score.

Intangibles/Summary

Jackson shared the Irish backcourt last year with 2015 first-round pick Jerian Grant, but without Grant, Jackson was able to step up both his scoring and assist numbers, while also being the go-to guy on a team which made a run to the Elite Eight for the second year in a row. Jackson is an excellent pick-and-roll ballhandler, showing the ability to score in a variety of ways, while making smart reads and decisions in finding open teammates. His three-point shooting percentage took a big dip this year, though he still came up big when his team needed him, and his true shooting ability is probably closer to his previous years. Jackson shows great speed in transition and halfcourt offenses, and his ability to break down defenses will serve him well at the NBA level. On the defensive end, Jackson has improved each season, and even when the Irish went to a zone defense, he was tough. Jackson has the fundamentals of team defense down pat, and the physical ability to make plays on and off the ball. Though only 6’1, he is strong for his size, and bigger offensive players can’t just overpower him without a fight. Jackson does have some lapses; reaction and maintaining balance versus changes in direction can be one area where he has had problems, as well as wandering a bit off the ball and leaving his man open. Jackson showed great leadership skills for this group, which lost seniors Grant and Pat Connaughton from last season, and he showed little difficulty in being the go-to guy in close games for the Irish.

Draft Value: Late Lottery-Mid 1^st Round – #10-18

Jackson may not have the size that many teams are looking for from the point guard position now, but he has the skill, strength, and athletic ability to handle his own against anyone. He is comfortable as a scorer and distributor, and while he had a tough shooting year from behind the arc, he has proven to be a much better than the numbers. I see him as easily one of the top point guards in this draft, and I see him being able to provide valuable minutes early in his career.

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