Justin Jackson provides something that many NBA draft prospects do not: Experience. The 22-year-old is one of the few upperclassman projected to be drafted in the first round and has improved in each of his three seasons at North Carolina. His three-year ascension at UNC culminated in ACC Player of the Year honors and a National Championship.
Jackson is a player that, given his experience and skills, can play immediately for a youthful Nuggets team. The biggest thing Jackson offers for potential NBA suitors is extraordinary shooting from the outside.
Until his last season at UNC, Jackson was not heralded as a 3-point shooter. In his first two collegiate seasons, Jackson made a total of 63 3-point field goals on 212 attempts. During his 2016-17 junior campaign, Jackson nearly doubled that mark. He made 105 shots from deep, shooting 37 percent along the way. If the Nuggets do indeed part ways with Danilo Gallinari, adding an outside shooter like Jackson makes sense.
Giving Nikola Jokic another spot-up shooter makes the Nuggets’ offense even stronger than it was last season. As Jokic continues to develop into a star and demands the attention of defenses in the post, having multiple options on the wing makes for a defensive nightmare.
Not only has his shooting ability produced results, it has also drawn praise from head coach Roy Williams.
“He’s got great extension,” Williams told Andrew Carter of The News & Observer. “Good spin, gets it up in the air, gets it set. It’s a simple shot. He doesn’t move it around, he doesn’t have his elbow here, he doesn’t take it up above his head. He puts it right there and shoots it, and so I love how simple it is.”
Despite the seamless offensive fit, Jackson does carry defensive risk. He does not possess great size for a 6-foot-8 forward, weighing just over 200 pounds, and lacks the quickness that would make up for it. Both traits cause concern about his ability to matchup physically with NBA wingmen. Given his length and range, though, Jackson has plenty of potential to improve defensively.
Still, Jackson’s shooting ability in today’s game is worthy of a first-round selection alone. As a three-year starter at UNC who has played in two National Championships, his experience in big game situations is greater than any other first-round prospect. Already a proven leader, Jackson plays beyond his years and fits into the Nuggets’ unselfish style of basketball. Given his ability to contribute immediately, Jackson should be in contention for the Nuggets’ first-round selection at No. 13 overall.
