Philadelphia 76ers Trust Process But Can Team Trust Josh Jackson?

Philadelphia 76ers sit upon the third pick of the 2017 NBA Draft. Many project the team to select Josh Jackson,. But Jackson must now enroll in anger management class. Can team trust him?

The third pick of the 2017 NBA Draft offers the Philadelphia 76ers plenty of options. On one hand, the team can try to trade up, listen to offers to trade back, or sit and simply select the best player / fit on the board at three. On the other hand, that best player / fit is Kansas small forward Josh Jackson.  But can the Philadelphia 76ers trust him?

On May 23, 2017, the Chicago Tribune reports that Josh Jackson must make good on a court case filed after a December 9th incident where he caused significant damage to a woman’s car.  According to the report:

"“Former Kansas basketball player Josh Jackson must attend anger management classes, write a letter of apology and refrain from using alcohol or recreational drugs for a year as part of a diversion agreement arising from his confrontation with a Jayhawks women’s basketball player last year.”"

The Philadelphia 76ers must now assess more than the on-court performance, and at the number three pick, do they feel they can trust Josh Jackson?

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Tip Of the Iceberg

While this is history, this is just the legal resolution to a violent crime. Stories like this never seem to be isolated incidents.  While the Chicaago Tribune article focuses on the outcome, there is little details to the nigh in question.  For more on that, there is a rather detailed account as reported by KansasCity.com’s Mara Rose Williams

While some may waive it off as a bad decision, it challenges each of us as to where do we cross that line between “stupid decision” and acts of violence.  And either way, we must stand firm in that line, and not look the other way when its someone who is poor or wealthy, rich and famous or downtrodden.  The moral call is where do you stand up against violence?

Swarm and Sting

Remember Jahlil Okafor?

The Philadelphia 76ers are not strangers to young men making poor decisions.  The team had some bad headlines when 19 year-old rookie Jahlil Okafor was filmed in loud public arguments with fans of the home town basketball team. Center Jahlil Okafor emerged as the third player drafted in the 2015 NBA Draft.  He too has incredible potential on the basketball court.  Unfortunately, Okafor used poor judgement often in is his rookie season, displaying immaturity and poor decision making.

No Do-overs

In the end, it was those poor decisions which led to Jerry Colangelo‘s arrival as special consultant to the team’s owners..  The rest is history.

Now Jahlil Okafor is a very talented basketball player with a nebulous future.  He is a risk on defense, and some still consider him a risk off the court.

I have not written about Josh Jackson’s legal troubles previously, because there is the risk of confusing “allegedly” with “court verdict”.  Now that the court has taken the steps of placing Jackson on the path of anger management, the risk has escalated dramatically.

Next: Will Philadelphia 76ers Bryan Colangelo Return To Toronto?

I hope the team finds better options at three.  I for one have no interest in history repeating itself.  Anger management classes may be just a formality. But when this pick determine the future of the franchise, there are better areas to assume risk.