Sacramento Kings: What to expect from Justin Jackson in 2017-18

What should the Sacramento Kings expect from rookie small forward Justin Jackson in the 2017-18 NBA season?

Justin Jackson was drafted by the Sacramento Kings with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. It was a move that excited the fan base and helped give the Kings a nearly perfect grade for the draft. Sacramento also selected De’Aaron Fox, Harry Giles and Frank Mason III in the draft.

Looking ahead at the upcoming season, what should the Kings and their fan base expect from Jackson this season?

First of all, the Kings are likely going to give Jackson every chance to earn the starting small forward spot. He is the future at the position and without question needs as much playing time as he can get early on in his career. Playing and developing alongside the rest of the young talent in Sacramento is important for Jackson.

Last season at North Carolina, Jackson ended up averaging 18.3 points per game to go along with 4.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists. He shot 44.3 percent from the field overall and knocked down 37.0 percent of his three-point attempts.

One of the biggest needs for Dave Joerger’s team this offseason was to find more scoring. Buddy Hield is projected to be the teams leading scorer, with players like Fox, George Hill and Zach Randolph being expected to contribute a good number of points as well. That being said, Jackson will have a big role within the offense.

Predicting a rookie season is never easy, especially with a team like the Kings that is obviously looking to mix youth and veterans. Jackson should start, assuming nothing crazy happens ahead of the season. If he does start, it would be reasonable to assume that he is in store for a big season.

Jackson is capable of averaging around 12-15 points per game as a rookie for the Kings. He should also chip in five rebounds and a couple assists per game.

Sacramento is well on its way to getting back into playoff contention in the Western Conference. Vlade Divac and the Kings’ front office have not been great in recent history, but they got it right this past offseason. Fans should get used to the idea of winning once again.

There is a chance that Jackson will only end up being a solid role player, but he has scoring potential. If he develops to his full potential, the Kings could have a budding star.

Expect to see his rookie season be filled with high ups and a few downs. He has a lot of learning to do over the next few years, but the talent is there. Sacramento should see signs of stardom from their new small forward in 2017-18 and the fans will learn to love him quickly.

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Do you think Justin Jackson has star NBA potential? What do you think his 2017-18 season will look like? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below!