Jackson was my No. 2 guy in June, so I’ll probably regret slotting him this low. Normally you’d stick with the top prospects up front, but the depth of talent in this year’s class forces parody. Jackson just hasn’t shown enough to beat out players like Donovan Mitchell and Kyle Kuzma.
With that said, Dallas gets the luxury of going Best Player Available here. Jackson is an impressive athlete at 6-foot-8 with legitimate playmaking chops and one of the higher defensive upsides in this year’s class. Not all of that has come to fruition yet, but I’d be willing to bet on a big leap in his second year.
While at Kansas, Jackson ran the offense in spurts. He’s still not much of a shooter, but can use his explosiveness to get into the lane and make plays as a pick-and-roll threat, whether it be finishing around the rim or dishing it elsewhere. Adjusting to NBA defenses has been a challenge, but he’s showing positives off the ball.