2014 NBA Draft: Who is Pierre Jackson?

The Sixers regained the rights to Pierre Jackson on NBA Draft night and secretly it was a sly move by Sam Hinkie. Pierre Jackson is the individual game scoring record holder scoring 58 points as a member of the Idaho Stampede. Jackson is quietly a scoring machine as an undersized point guard, standing at only 5-foot-11. Jackson plays much bigger than most players his size and makes his big presence known. Type his name into YouTube and you will see a flash of highlight dunks and an array of long-range jump shots from all areas of the floor. I was not a believer of the hype prior to last season but Sixers fans have a true “Human Highlight Film” in Jackson.

This guy just continually put his mark on every game he played in for the Idaho Stampede. I heard so much about him that I was completely blown away by how much of an athletic freak this guy is. After just three minutes into the tape I wondered why was this man in the D-League and not an NBA bench?

After all he was a member of the 2014 D-League All Star team. During the month of January , Jackson scored totals of 32 points, 46 points, and a pair of games where he scored 22 points. Oh and did I mention it was in a span of just over a week. His game was truly on a different level from the competition and it showed night in and night out.

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From February 4-9, Jackson scored 58 points against the Texas Legends which is the all time scoring record by one player in a game. He followed that performance with a great encore dropping 30 points and 29 points during back-to-back games against the Reno Big Horns. Jackson averaged 29.1 points per game for the Stampede, but left the D-League for Turkey mid-season. Some may feel that people are overly hyped on a guy who played in the development league against sub par talent, I understand your thinking but you must eliminate all doubt from your mind about that. Jackson is the real deal and Philadelphia got a true fan favorite by reclaiming his rights on draft night.

The Sixers have lacked guys with toughness and the ability to not shy away from traffic and contact. Watching the way Jackson plays, he is so fast and electric off the dribble. He gets to the basket with ease, because he is supremely agile and quick. He does not care at all about how big the defender is in front of him or in the paint will drive and actually welcome the contact. Players like Nate Robinson, D.J. Augustine, and Mo Williams all made a name for themselves by playing big and not allowing their small stature to down play their style.

He has a little of each of them all tied into his game. The fluent deep shot of Augustine, the passing skills of Williams and the intensity and energy of Nate Robinson. His game can improve but he has the ability to make the roster and be a viable back up to Michael Carter-Williams. He only played one season in the D-League but he took it up another notch and completely left viewers and coaches flabbergasted at the level of intensity he brought. Being the leagues leading scorer is no easy task no matter the level of competition.

Hinkie had to be impressed because he took back what he previously gave away to the Pelicans. Hopefully Jackson gets some great playing time during the Summer League, because he can prove a lot on the court. I see him playing more at the NBA level given his situation with the Sixers. The Sixers core is young and inexperienced so playing time should be distributed evenly because this season it will be about making a name for yourself, implementing a plan and fine tuning any flaws in his game. Jackson is already ahead of the other rookies because of his D-League tenure — he can ball. Sixers fans should be highly excited about Jackson and what he brings to the table as a player. Look for powerful dunks and all around solid play form a guy who is little, but plays like a giant.

Is Pierre Jackson a suitable back up to Carter-Williams or is the YouTube sensation nothing more than fools gold? Only time will tell.