Sacramento Kings: 3 takeaways from 2017-18 season opener

3. Justin Jackson starts at small forward

While there were signs that this would be coming, it was still somewhat shocking to hear Justin Jackson’s name called as a starter on opening night. Given that he was neither the highest 2017 draft pick on the team nor a lottery selection, Jackson would have been tough to predict as a starter in his first NBA game.

Jackson played 19 minutes in his first contest, making two of five shots for five points. He also knocked down one of his two triples on the night. Jackson was not heavily involved in the offense, but he dug in on the other end of the floor and did his best to complement the other Kings’ pieces.

Jackson will probably not continue to start for the rest of the season. Bogdan Bogdanovic missed the opener with an ankle injury. While he is unlikely to return in time for Friday’s game, he will start either once he gets back or shortly thereafter. Justin Jackson’s tenure as a rookie starter might be short-lived, but Dave Joerger’s apparent confidence in him is certainly a good sign.