Josh Jackson’s all-around game will have Suns fans falling in love

The Suns just got a whole lot better after taking Josh Jackson with their 4th overall pick.

Jackson wasn’t Kansas’ most productive player last season, but he was arguably the best despite playing alongside National Player of the Year Frank Mason III.

Jackson’s skill set as a Swiss Army Knife is what sets him apart as a prospect in this year’s draft. Jackson finished this past college season as Kansas’ second all-time-leading freshman in scoring average with 16.3 points per game. He’s also the team’s all-time leading freshman rebounder with 258 total rebounds.

There are a number of ways for him to be plugged into the Suns. He can pass, score, and rebound at a high level. Plus, his 6’8 frame gives him the tools to defend at a very high level against competition in the NBA.

Jackson can fill the void as both an complementary player and as a star. He’s the most well-rounded prospect in this year’s draft.

Jackson doesn’t necessarily have one elite skill to point to offensively, but he’s a player who seems to be in the right space at the right time so often. He’s an excellent rebounder overall, but his impact on the offensive glass cannot be overlooked.

Jackson averaged 2.3 offensive rebounds per game in just over 30 minutes per game at Kansas. He so often sneaks in and creates extra possessions for his team like this.

In today’s NBA, being able to make plays like that pays huge dividends. Jackson doesn’t have to be the focal point of an offense to be involved. That skill will come in handy for Phoenix.

Players have made entire careers from being able to cut into the right spaces and create extra possessions for their teams. Because he isn’t a great shooter, this skill will be a necessity for Jackson. Defenses leave non-shooters open, but they can still be made to pay by a sharp cut to the hoop. Jackson is one of the very best at that in this draft, so even without the ball, he can remain a threat.

Jackson is only a solid offensive player with many solid skills, but the one thing he does at close to an elite level is pass the ball.

Jackson wasn’t the primary ball handler consistently at Kansas, but he is very capable making plays off the dribble. He’s also very capable of making quick decisions while remaining on the move. Take a look at this video courtesy of DraftExpress.

To make plays like that, you have to be one or two steps ahead of your opponent. Jackson has demonstrated that he can be, and that’s a skill that even some veterans in the league don’t have.

He’s only going to get better at it, and the Suns should be able to trust him to initiate offense for them down the line. With his 6’8 frame and incredible vision, don’t be surprised if we see Jackson initiating offense from both the high and low post similar to Draymond Green.

Jackson was one of the better defenders in college basketball last season despite being just a freshman. He had 37 total blocks last season and averaged 1.1 per game along with 1.7 steals.

He has a 6’10 wingspan to go with his long frame and some incredibly quick feet. Jackson is also explosive, so if he’s beat off the dribble, he’s able to recover very quickly with a bit of help.

Whether he’s playing as a small forward or a small-ball power forward, Jackson will be a great help defender in the league going forward. His positional versatility is only going to be a plus here.

He is not a great perimeter shooter. Jackson shot 37 percent from deep this past season and got progressively better as the season went by. But still, shooting an average percentage from a closer arc is never a good sign.

Jackson’s shooting form has also been known to change over time. Phoenix will need to work that out down the line. Jonathan Givony wrote about it a bit over at DraftExpress.

Overall, Jackson made a solid 39 percent of his catch and shoot jumpers, rising up with good balance, despite his very funky shooting mechanics that may need to be overhauled over time. He doesn’t shoot the ball the same way attempt-to-attempt, bringing the ball up from his hip, with his elbow flailing out and releasing it from the outside of his hand without much of a wrist snap, sometimes shooting it on the way down.

Jackson is also a poor free throw shooter who made just 57 percent of his attempts at the line this past season. That’s low for a perimeter player, but is one of his weaknesses nonetheless. There are serious questions about him becoming a solid shooter moving forward.

Jackson’s legal troubles raise questions about his character

In December, Jackson threatened to “beat” Kansas women’s basketball player McKenzie Calvert after a confrontation she had with Lagerald Vick. Calvert reportedly threw a drink at Vick, her ex-boyfriend, after he attended a party with a new girlfriend.

After reportedly following Calvert to her car, Jackson threatened to beat her and reportedly damaged the car, per an ESPN report. Jackson was also suspended from the team shortly after for a hit-and-run incident with a parked car.

Jackson was charged with a misdemeanor in property damage, which he plead not guilty to in April.