Brooklyn Nets: 5 options for pick No. 40 in 2018 NBA Draft
By Alec Liebsch
4. Justin Jackson, SF/PF — Maryland
- Height: 6’6.75″
- Weight: 229 lbs
- Age: 21 (Sophomore)
No, this isn’t the Sacramento Kings’ Justin Jackson. This Justin Jackson took a gamble by not entering the 2017 NBA Draft after his freshman year. His stock hasn’t shown promise of rising, but after the first 15-20 picks, who knows?
Meanwhile, Jackson has solidified a very specific skill with his enormous 7’3″ wingspan: rebounding. He averaged 8.1 boards in just 29.2 minutes per game, which equates to 10.0 per 36 minutes. For a forward, those numbers are incredible.
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Unfortunately, not much else in his game translated well. He shot poorly from everywhere (36.6 overall field goal percentage), and his assist-to-turnover ratio was well under 1 at 0.65. Both those elements must improve for Jackson to exist in the modern NBA.
Luckily, the Nets are in need of small-ball 5s. As the league goes increasingly smaller and more position-less, more and more players will shift from the 4 to the 5 in favor of athleticism and the flexibility to switch defensively. Instead of being paired with another tower, Jackson can be put around four perimeter players.
As long as he proves he can handle the load down low, teams will be glad to take him in a Jordan Bell-type role. Although the Golden State Warriors were overpowered enough on the perimeter to justify a specialist pick at 38th overall last draft, they also knew its effectiveness with a more athletic and malleable big.
The Nets aren’t exactly loaded on the perimeter, but they have a system in place that can utilize Jackson’s strengths effectively. When Jarrett Allen takes a seat, a switch-heavy lineup centered around Jackson can be really fun with pliable wings like Caris LeVert and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.