North Carolina Tar Heels: Justin Jackson Declares For Draft
The North Carolina Tar Heels got some news yesterday regarding one of their stars.
The North Carolina Tar Heels got some expected news yesterday regarding their basketball program. Junior forward Justin Jackson declared for the 2017 NBA Draft. That means that Jackson will not be on the court for the Tar Heels in 2018.
Jackson entered the 2017 season as a player with something to prove. For a guy who was going to market himself as an NBA wing, he lacked a consistent shot from the outside. He attended the 2016 draft process and got some evaluations that must have had some impact on his year.
2017 became the year of Jackson for the Tar Heels. It was not obvious at first since Joel Berry came out on fire for the team, but Jackson had rebuilt his shot and became the main shooting threat from distance for the Tar Heels. He upped his scoring average to 18 PPG and improved his three point percentage from around 30% to all the way just under 40%.
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He did this without losing his other knacks for the game. Jackson kept his repertoire of floaters. He made good passes and didn’t mind asserting himself in the paint against smaller covers when called upon. His workman-like effort outside of three point shooting was proven in the NCAA Final against Gonzaga. 0 of 9 from three point land, Jackson still scored sixteen and had a big impact in that game.
The other thing to note about Jackson is his probable draft position. An underclassman should not declare for the draft unless he has information that he is a top twenty player. The first round is where the guaranteed money is, and it is hard to imagine a player told they are top twenty falling out of the first round completely.
This was same logic that led Tyus Jones to leave Duke after his national title even though there were people who thought he would stay at Duke one more year. Jackson is rated in the lottery of many mock drafts although it is fair to say I have seen him as high as ten and as low as twenty-nine.
Whoever drafts Jackson will get a highly accomplished player. He will get his white jersey banner to join the flock of others since he was ACC Player of the Year and a first team All-America. That Jackson will get to keep forever.