Justin Jackson, SF, North Carolina
ACC Player of the Year Justin Jackson is a player whose stock is soaring.
As recently as Jan. 5, DX had him mocked as the 39th-overall selection. Now, he is projected as the 12th pick in the draft.
How did he move up over 20 slots in less than three months?
The primary reason is his improved shooting. As a junior, Jackson is converting on 38.7 percent of his three-point looks. That’s up from his first two years, when he was at a paltry 29.7 percent from beyond the arc.
Concerns over how “real” that improvement is are quelled by him attempting an astronomical 7.0 threes on average. That’s not per-40 minutes, either, but per game.
His newfound shooting is helping him set a career high in scoring at 18.1 points per game. He’s also averaging 4.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 0.9 steals.
The Heat still lack scoring on the wing, meaning Jackson would make a lot of sense. Most remember Jan. 17’s Kentucky – North Carolina game as the day Malik Monk dropped 47 points, but Jackson was also spectacular. The junior scored a career-high 34 points on just 17 shots, to go with four threes, five rebounds, three assists and a steal.
Scoring aside, Jackson’s 6-foot-8 frame and 34.5-inch vertical give him the potential to be a solid NBA defender.
Hopefully he just slips a bit later than expected.