Summer Suns offseason homework Part One

Josh Jackson

If Summer League showed the fans anything it was that Josh Jackson is exactly who we thought he was coming out of the University of Kansas. Josh showcased his athleticism and feel for the game at Vegas showcasing his intensity on both ends of the court. Jackson also displays a high basketball IQ, especially in knowing when to change speeds and angles in transition. Jackson also displayed a soft touch at the rim on his layups. On defense, Jackson’s athleticism allowed for him to disrupt the passing lanes and make acrobat blocks on the weak side.

Concerns with Jackson continue to center around his shooting. Josh Jackson shot a paltry 18.8% from three-point range, making 3 of 16 attempts.  Had he not shot over 50% from the field in his last two games, Jackson’s overall FG% could have been under 40% for the Summer. Granted, Jackson took a lot of contested shots as he was one of the only Summer Suns players who could create his own shot off the dribble. His role in his first NBA season will not involve Jackson being a focal part of the offense.

If Jackson wants to live up the being a top-five draft pick, he will need to be able to make jump-shots. Since the Suns have a good scoring backcourt, Jackson will have many spot up jump-shot opportunities, similar to Kawhi Leonard, in his first couple of seasons with the Spurs. Jackson should take a majority of his three-point attempts from the corner as it is a shorter shot.

Along with working on his corner threes, Jackson will also need to practice his free throws. He shot 64% on his free throws in Vegas after only shooting 56.6% at Kansas. If Jackson can work on improving both his spot shooting and free throw shot, it will pay dividends for both his and the Suns’ futures.