Boston Celtics: Early look at 5 2018 NBA Draft prospects, Part 1
5. Jaren Jackson Jr.
Height: 6’11”, Weight: 242 lbs
Age: 18
Position: Power Forward
Stats: 10.5 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 3.3 BPG, 1.3 APG, 0.9 SPG, 46.9 FG%, 36.8 3P%
- Player Comparison: Thon Maker
- Ceiling: Fringe All-Star
- Floor: Sixth Man
Jaren Jackson Jr. has shown that he can be valuable on both sides of the floor. He is currently a freshman at Michigan State University.
Close to 10 points per game is not that bad for a college player who is a part of the Power 5 conference. He’s knocking down 36.8 percent of his 3s, and he’s only 18 years old. He will be turning 19 in the month of September. For a player who is still super young, he has shown that he can shoot the ball at a pretty decent clip. Look for that too improve as he gets older and polishes out his game.
Not only has he shown the ability to shoot it from deep, but he is an athletic big man. He is 6’11” and 242 pounds, but can get up and throw down dunks. He will need to add some muscle if he wants to stay healthy and play with some of the bigger NBA players. He may have some trouble in the low post against bigger forwards, but with his athleticism, he should be okay for the time being. For now, he will be a great addition on the offensive end.
He would be best suited to come off the bench for now, seeing as he is still very raw, and because of the current state the Celtics are in. Coming off the bench would allow him to develop and play against the second units. This will give him the confidence needed to help him grow into a better player, and because he is so raw, this will allow him to improve his skills while getting playing time.
We know how good the Celtics are defensively, and adding Jackson Jr. will make it even better. He is almost averaging one steal a game to this point. What’s even better is that he is averaging over three blocks a game for the Spartans. With his 7’4″ wingspan, he has the ability to be a complete defender in the NBA.
Don’t be surprised if he is in conversation for Defensive Player of the Year in the future. If he is never able to figure things out on the offensive side of things, he can safely fall back on being a great defender.
He draws the comparison to Thon Maker because he has a similar build, and the abilities to become great. He is a skinny big man who can stretch the floor, but also protect the rim, rebound the ball, and score from a lot of different areas on the floor. Maker has struggled in his NBA career so far, but he too is still a long way from a finished product. However, one thing that separates those two is that Jackson Jr. has the ability to become a better player.