New Orleans Pelicans: 5 options for pick No. 40 in 2017 NBA Draft
By Frank Urbina
4. Frank Jackson, PG/SG, Duke
College stats: 36 GP, 10.9 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.4 3s, 0.6 STL, 0.1 BLK, 1.4 TOs, 47.3 FG%, 39.2 3PT%, 75.5 FT%, 24.9 MPG
Like Dorsey, Frank Jackson used a late-season push to propel himself into draft consideration.
Over his last nine games, eight of which were starts, the former Blue Devil averaged 14.9 points, 3.6 boards, 1.4 helpers and 1.9 three-pointers a night. In that time frame, he converted 50.6 of his attempts overall, and 50.0 percent of his looks from deep.
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If he’s available at No. 40 — far from a certainty considering he declared for the draft instead of going back to school, meaning he may have received a first round promise from a team picking in the 20s — he’d be quite the steal.
Jackson just turned 19 years old, measured in at 6’4″ with a 6’7.5″ wingspan at the NBA Draft Combine and is far from a finished product. I mean that in a good way, for the record; whoever drafts him will have quite the canvas to paint on.
Another positive we should note regarding Jackson is his ability to play either guard spot. Considering New Orleans’ current starter at point guard, Jrue Holiday, is an impending free agent, the Pellies may have a hole to fill at the 1-spot, in addition to on the wing.
Could Jackson fill Holiday’s shoes right away next season? Probably not. But the fact that he could ably play either guard spot makes him even more enticing for a Pelicans team that could eventually use him in more ways than one.