In the last several weeks, it has become widely believed that Washington point guard Markelle Fultz will be the top pick in the upcoming 2017 NBA Draft later this month.
Despite that, Jalen Rose stated on the “Jalen & Jacoby” podcast that he believes Kansas swingman Josh Jackson should be the top choice for the first overall selection.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ydD4v4zNQ4
“I will tell y'all who to watch for: (it's) Josh Jackson. He is going to be a player and I haven't decided who I'm going to compare him to but he is going to be a lockdown defender who can play multiple positions. He's an improved jump shooter. He's more bounce to the ounce at the hoop and he has toughness. See that is one of the things that I look for in the players that ain't a measurable on the stat sheet.
“If I'm picking number one in a vacuum regardless of need and I'm thinking I'm taking the best player, that's actually who I personally would take first overall…(He's) the most valuable and when we are watching basketball in November he's going to be a guy out there throwing in them minutes. SC top ten just banged on somebody catching a lob. That's just his trajectory.”
Jackson is one of the most intriguing prospects from this year's draft class due to his potential. He is a highly athletic player with unique explosiveness that could make him an above-the-rim highlight reel guy in the NBA, and he's also proved to be a stout defender at the collegiate level.
However, there remain some concerns about his shooting ability from the outside while possessing a slender body frame. He struggled with his shot for much of his freshman year hitting just 37.8 percent from beyond the arc.
Even if Jackson isn't the No.1 overall pick, he's expected to land within the first five spots in the draft. It's hard to truly project where the ceiling of players that have yet to play a single game in the NBA, which essentially makes this process a big gamble every year.
Beyond that, it's evident that Jackson possesses plenty of promise to develop into a special talent in the league.
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