Justin Jackson may not have had a huge rookie season for the Sacramento Kings, but don’t forget about him just yet.
Justin Jackson was drafted with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings. It was a pick that some fans loved, but others thought would be a waste of a pick.
Coming out of North Carolina, Jackson was seen as a small forward that could develop into a solid NBA scorer. Some thought that he was too weak to play at the NBA level, while others thought he could develop into a future starter for the Kings.
Throughout the course of the 2017-18 NBA season, Jackson has averaged 6.7 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. He has shot 45.7 percent from the field and has knocked down 32.5 percent of his 3-point attempts. His numbers may not give Kings’ fans a lot of faith, but it’s not time to forget about him just yet.
Despite the low numbers, Jackson is still a big piece of the future in Sacramento. Vlade Divac and company have built a strong young core including Jackson, De’Aaron Fox, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Willie Cauley-Stein, Skal Labissiere and more.
At just 23 years of age, Jackson has a complete skill-set. He possesses a solid all-around offensive game and the ability to defend. Sacramento fans may not have seen it just yet, but there is no question that the potential is there.
Jackson got off to a slow start this season. It was obvious that the leap from college basketball to the NBA was tough for him. Over the past couple of months, however, he has begun being more confident, while also making a much larger impact on the court.
In a recent interview with NBA.com’s Jordan Ramirez, Jackson talked about his rookie season and not losing confidence in his ability.
"“Never lose confidence in yourself, never stop working hard, never lose that work ethic even when you might not be playing, not playing much or whatever it is, just keep it going,” Jackson said."
Even Vince Carter chimed in about Jackson and made it clear that he believes the youngster has a bright future ahead of him in the NBA.
"“He’s going to be around a long time,” Carter said. “The beginning is always the toughest.”"
Over the past couple of months, Jackson has begun showing signs of being the offensive talent that the Kings were hoping to get when they drafted him. He has averaged 9.2 points per game in the month of March, including a 20-point outburst against the Atlanta Hawks on March 22.
While Jackson has had his struggles, fans should not begin getting frustrated just yet. He is young, raw, and has plenty of work to do on his game. That being said, the signs are there that he has the talent to be a very special piece for the Kings in the future.
ESPN‘s Zach Lowe chipped in a great commentary on Jackson, which should give Kings’ fans even more excitement about their young forward.
"“It’s easy to forget about Justin Jackson… But over the past two months, he has emerged as worth watching, and that alone is a win for the Kings. He’s 17-of-45 from deep in March, keeping alive the possibility that he might grow into an average 3-point shooter. He moves well on defense, and tries hard. He’s also got a nifty floater — a key weapon for guys who can’t power through behemoths at the rim.”"
All of that being said, the Kings are heading in the right direction. They have built a solid young core and have some money to spend moving into the future. Sacramento is ready for playoff basketball again and it shouldn’t be much longer before they’re granted their wish.
Next: 2017-18 Week 24 NBA Power Rankings
Jackson is easy to forget as Lowe mentioned, but fans shouldn’t forget about him just yet.