Jaren Jackson Jr. Scouting Report
Tip: To play clips, you may need to disable AdBlock
Jaren Jackson Jr. (Big, 18, 6'11", 236 lbs)
Statistical Profile
Strengths
Jaren Jackson is the prototypical big man for the NBA in 2018. He is what every team wants as their rim protector: an elite shot blocker, an efficient and high volume three point shooter, and a capable passer. He may not be as physically imposing as DeAndre Ayton or as skilled with the ball as Marvin Bagley, but he is both the youngest and the best big man prospect in the Draft.
Jackson possesses a 7'5.25" wingspan, the third-longest in the class. He uses this length to block and/or affect a staggering number of attempts near the rim with excellent timing, range and instincts. He naturally stays low in a stance, and has supremely quick feet that allow him to stay with guards on the perimeter and cut off dribble penetration, making him a highly-coveted component to a switch-heavy defensive scheme. According to Synergy, on 33 possessions where he was defending in isolation, Jackson surrendered .364 points per possession and players shot 4–28 from the field. It is no exaggeration to say that he has Anthony Davis or Draymond Green-like defensive capabilities and that he will likely find himself in the running for Defensive Player of the Year multiple times throughout his career.
Offensively, Jackson is an efficient shooter on high volume. He was a 44% shooter on 64 three point attempts on the EYBL circuit the summer before college, and shot 40% in college on over seven attempts per 100 possessions. The shooting isn’t a mirage as he shot 80% from the line on similarly high per-minute volume. His shooting ability at the center spot is rare and will allow increased spacing to whichever team he heads to, opening up the ability to play five-out and maintain a defensive presence.
Jackson is not simply a shooter. He can handle the ball in close-out situations and is a productive straight-line driver, often drawing fouls in these scenarios. He had a higher free throw rate than any of the other top-five bigs as well as the highest true-shooting percentage.
Physically, he is a smooth runner with great hands for a player his size. This helps his ball handling, where he is comfortable putting the ball on the floor in space or in transition along with close out situations. He can finish with both hands and is a plus on the offensive glass. While he isn’t a great playmaker, he has flashed passing ability in transition and in dump-off situations. He also has an excellent motor and never gives up on plays on either end. He projects as an elite rim protector defensively and a floor spacer/driver on offense with significant room to grow due to his age and physical gifts.
Weaknesses
Many of Jackson’s weaknesses are correctable issues that originate in his youth. For example, Jackson isn’t a shooting threat off the dribble, lacks plus awareness as a passer, and uses his size and length in the post as opposed to developed footwork and a scoring package. He also bites on pump fakes on defense and tends to find himself in foul trouble in more physical matchups. All of these issues are relatively minor and easily correctable with experience, NBA coaching and a more mature physical frame.
Jackson’s other weaknesses that are more innate are his shiftiness with the ball in his hands and his overall athleticism and vertical explosiveness. While he lacks elite shake, he is quite quick for his size which helps compensate for his lack of Durant/Anthony Davis-type shiftiness. He is more like Myles Turner or Kristaps Porzingis in this way offensively. He certainly has jumping ability and quickness off the ground, but he’s not the most explosive or powerful jumper. These issues will likely hold him back from becoming as good as Anthony Davis or Karl Towns offensively, but nitpicking at that level simply points to how good he can be when he enters his athletic and physical prime.
Summary
I briefly flirted with ranking Jackson above Doncic, but Doncic’s offensive development at his age put him over the top. They compare equally in terms of fit in the modern NBA. Jackson is the perfect big man prospect for basketball in 2018. Not since Joel Embiid has a player entered the league with Jackson’s ability to protect the rim as a primary center and space the floor as a shooting threat. He has advanced IQ, brilliant timing and elite instincts defensively at only 18 years old. He can switch to guard any position competently and anchor a defense as a shot blocker and rebounder. His long range shot, while unconventional, is consistently above 38% at impressive volume for a big man. He has shown flashes as a ball handler and consistently draws shooting fouls, knocking down his free throws at an 80% clip. He is the most complete two-way big man in the draft and the ideal fit for today’s switch-heavy shooting league. Jackson is not perfect — he has to clean up his foul issues and develop both hands off the bounce and a post game, but he is a blank canvas as the youngest player in the Draft. Jackson is a can’t miss prospect and the best big man on the board.
