NBA Comparison: Jermaine O’Neal

Strengths: Very gifted athletically … Untapped potential … Impressive quickness/mobility/agility … His physical profile stands out as he’s listed at 6’11 and 235 lbs … His wingspan measured at 7’5 ¼” at this year’s NBA Combine (third longest player in the draft) … Standing reach is measured at 9’2, giving him tremendous size  … Fluid and coordinated as a runner…Has nice (huge) hands: measured at 10 inches in length … His offensive game is extremely versatile … He’s capable of facing up or playing with his back to the basket … Has shown the capability of hitting from mid-range … He flashed some offensive ball skills and control that could foreshadow his ability as an offensive talent … Great ball-handling skills for his size (he’s a near 7-footer who can effortlessly take defenders off the dribble with either hand) … Can put the ball on the floor in space, transition or on closeouts while using a variety of moves or making dump-off passes … Has a great first-step … Displayed great shooting consistency and efficiency from various areas of the floor: 59 percent on 2-pointers, 40 percent from the 3-point line, 51 percent overall from the field … Has nice touch and finishing ability around the rim with either hand … Active finisher around the basket … Can finish through contact … Showed a willingness to move without the ball … Constant threat to scores off cuts and with or without the ball in transition … Does a good job of running the baseline for alley-oops … Connected on 80 percent of his free throws … Defensively, he showed that he can defend in space and guard the perimeter extremely well for his size … Gets into his stance and slides his feet better than any other big man in his class … Projects to be the perfect defender for switches and closeouts at the next level … Shows good defensive awareness off the ball, allowing him to be a solid help defender and weakside shot blocker … Exceptional overall shot blocker, having averaged 3.0 blocks per game in his lone season at MSU … Possesses great rim protection, anticipation, range, and instincts … Solid post defender, didn’t bite on pump fakes often … He seems to always be quick to the ball … Never gives up on plays on defense … Goes hard after offensive rebounds (high-level offensive rebounder) … Has good timing on his putbacks … Plays aggressively and with hustle/energy … One of the youngest, if not the youngest, players in the draft … Won’t turn 19 years of age until September …

Weaknesses: A late bloomer in regards to his physical frame as he’s still a bit on the thin side … Still very much a kid and will require additional time to fully mature both on and off the floor … Would benefit from developing more muscle/strength for the next level (especially in the upper body) … He’s not overly bouncy or explosive … His overall offensive game is still unpolished despite the promise it has … Jackson has a tendency to get into foul trouble (averaged 8.6 fouls per 100 possessions … A lot of his fouls stem from him being undisciplined on defense … Foul trouble was a main reason why his playing time was diminished throughout his FR season … Needs to work on maintaining his balance as a low-post defender … May need to tweak his shooting mechanics (low release, knuckleball), but still projects as a solid outside shooter … Although he shot a high percentage throughout the season, he did attempt just seven shots per game (what will he do with an expanded role?) … Needs to polish his shooting off the dribble … He was too passive and therefore inconsistent at times … Not an elite below-the-rim finisher … Needs to learn how to move onto the next play (maturity) and not check out the game (mentally) when he makes a bad play or something doesn’t go his way … Lacks passing awareness … Doesn’t look comfortable making decisions with the ball … Remains to be seen if he can develop into a playmaker … His assist-to-turnover ratio left a lot to be desired … Not a shifty enough ball-handler in traffic … Can be a little wild and out of control when he puts the ball on the floor … Does not have a go-to move in the post that he can rely upon … Still developing the footwork that’ll be necessary as a viable low-post threat against bigger and stronger players in the NBA …

Overall: Jackson is perhaps the best two-way big man to come out of this year’s draft and has enormous upside … He’s developed rapidly in one season under Tom Izzo at Michigan State … In the modern NBA, Jackson’s skillset is what is in demand from big men … He’s a complete big man who can shoot from deep, protect the rim and has no problem switching out to guards in the pick-and-roll or isolation … He just didn’t get a chance to really show the full range of his value on a consistent basis with the Spartans … He averaged just 21.8 minutes per game, and much of the reasoning behind that is because he was so foul prone (he also was the fifth option on most nights) … Jackson thoroughly contemplated returning to school for his sophomore year in order to show that he was capable of a larger role and averaging the 20-10 numbers that his contemporaries (DeAndre Ayton & Marvin Bagley III) put up throughout the season. But scouts and other NBA personnel don’t need to see another year of him in Spartans uniform to know that he has a ton of promise on both ends of the floor … One thing to note about Jackson is that he’s just scratching the surface of his abilities and is still realizing how good he can become … He’s built a strong case for top-5 consideration in this year’s draft, though he will probably require more patience than some of the other elite prospects …

Notes: Measured: 6′ 9.75” barefoot, 6′ 11.25” in shoes, 236.0 lbs, 7′ 5.25” wingspan, 9′ 2” standing reach, 7.20% body fat, 10.00 inch hand length at the 2018 NBA Draft Combine …

Tajh Jenkins 6/10/18

Strengths: 6’10 athletic big man with great length (7’4 wingspan and 9’1 standing reach) … Good athleticism, energy, and activity … Mobile, well-coordinated, and fluid … Good hands and touch around the basket … Can finish with either hand, doesn’t hesitate to shoot with his left hand … Good rebounder on both ends … Keeps the ball high after rebounds, not letting smaller defenders get a hand on it … Great defensive potential … Good timing as a shot blocker and gets off the ground quickly … Rotates and moves his feet well … Has ability to shoot from outside and has a quick release … Shows potential as a stretch big man … Can play the pick and pop … Good free throw stroke … Draws several fouls per game … Solid court vision, passing ability, and understanding of the game … Spaces the floor well offensively … Shoots the quick three at times but knows his role as a big man … Doesn’t try to do too much … Can put the ball on the floor and get to the basket when given a straight-line attack opportunity from inside the arc … Willing screener … Fits the mold for ideal big man in today’s NBA … Young for his class, won’t turn 18 until the middle of September of his freshman year …

Weaknesses: Low release on his shot, could use more arc … Sometimes rushes it and pushes it from his chest without getting it into the shooting pocket … Shoots quick at times from three and looks off balanced … Tends to lean forward on free throws … Post game is raw. Lacks technique around the basket … Doesn’t handle double teams well … At time he tries to put the ball on the floor in traffic, resulting in turnovers … Solid strength level and frame but will need to get stronger moving forward … Can improve finishing in traffic and handling contact … Would be more dominant if he were to develop more of a mean streak, and play with a little more emotion … May struggle some for playing time as a frehman playing with Nick Ward and Miles Bridges …

Outlook: Incoming Michigan State freshman … Son of former NBA player, Jaren Jackson … Played in the McDonald’s All American Game, Jordan Brand Classic, and Nike Hoop Summit (13 points and seven rebounds) … Transferred to La Lumiere (29-1) for his senior year, leading them to win the Dick’s National Championship, averaging 15.7 points and eight rebounds in the tournament … Averaged 15.7 points and seven rebounds over the Nike EYBL … Won a gold medal with the 2016 USA Basketball Men’s U17 World Championship Team. Naismith High School All America honorable mention …

Notes: Son of former NBA player, Jaren Jackson … Measured 6’10, 225 lbs with a 7’4 wingspan and 9’1 standing reach at the 2017 Nike Hoop Summit …

Evan Tomes 11/2/17