Demetrius Jackson Just Doesn’t Have What It Takes for the NBA
By Pat Sullivan
Listen up, guys. Demetrius Jackson just wasn’t better than anyone picked before him. He’s just not cut out to make it in the NBA.
As the 2016 NBA Draft progressed on Thursday night, there were multiple big-name prospects who slipped much farther than anyone expected. Teams’ front offices instead elected to take gambles on international enigmas, grasping at slivers of hope that they may turn into the next Dirk Nowitzki or Kristaps Porzingis or something.
One of those prospects who fell was Notre Dame’s very own Demetrius Jackson, considered a mid-to-late first round choice by most draft analysts. He watched many of these international men of mystery, along with a multitude of other seemingly inferior players, get selected before he was finally taken by the Boston Celtics at 45th overall, despite the four point guards already on their roster (Isaiah Thomas, Marcus Smart, Avery Bradley, and Terry Rozier).
In looking more closely at the players chosen ahead of DJ, though, it’s pretty clear why he slipped so far. Teams who want point guards are looking for younger, taller players with more “upside” and “potential.” At somewhere around 6’1″ or 6’2″ with a wingspan of 6’5″, Jackson just can’t compete with the length of the point guards chosen before him, like that of Dejounte Murray (6’5″ with a wingspan of 6’10”) or Wade Baldwin (6’3″ with a 6’11” wingspan) or Tyler Ulis (5’9″ with a 6’2″ wingspan). DJ just doesn’t have the physical tools to overcome those differences.
And although Jackson certainly looks absolutely shredded and well-built for a point guard, NBA GMs are obviously looking for more than raw athleticism. They’re looking for players who produce at a high level, which I assume is why David Michineau, a point guard from France, was selected 6 picks before Jackson. Michineau is a statistical monster, and his 2015-2016 stat line (5.7 points, 1.5 assists, 0.9 rebounds, 0.5 steals per game) just dwarfs Jackson’s (15.8 points, 4.7 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 1.2 steals per game). Demetrius just isn’t skilled enough to warrant a higher pick than these other guys.
Also, can you really expect teams to pass on big-name prospects that everyone has been talking about and draft a second-team All-ACC player like DJ? I mean, we’re talking about household names like Georgios Papagiannis, Guerschon Yabusele, Ante Zizic, Timothe Luwawu, Furkan Korkmaz, Pascal Siakam, Ivica Zubac, Rade Zagorac, Michineau, Zhou Qi, and Isaia Cordinier. I completely understand where these NBA big wigs are coming from, and definitely appreciate an amazing athlete name as much as anyone. Demetrius Jackson just isn’t that big of a deal, anywhere. It’s no wonder he slipped so far.
Furthermore, what if you’re a stat geek? Well, here’s some statistically-advanced food for thought. Baldwin and Murray, the two college point guards questionably taken ahead of Jackson (Kris Dunn and Jamal Murray were pretty obvious top-10 picks, so I’m choosing to leave them out of this), had Player Efficiency Ratings of 20.7 and 16.8 last season, respectively, and true shooting percentages of .571 and .485, also respectively. Demetrius put up some measly numbers in those categories of 21.0 and .560. He just isn’t as efficient as those guys. He doesn’t get it done.
Finally, I want to make a last point about what you want from a point guard in basketball. Measurables and shooting and everything are great, especially in a league where big, athletic, score-first guards are now becoming essential to success. But the point guard is still the man running the show, so a focus on not turning the ball over and having a good head on one’s shoulders is key. Baldwin and Murray had turnover percentages (turnovers per 100 plays) of 18.2 and 16.3, while Jackson’s number was at 13.3 this past season. Clearly there are questions about Jackson’s ability to orchestrate the offense and achieve success in difficult situations when compared to these other guys. He just doesn’t do that overcoming-adversity thing very well.
In conclusion, I completely understand why 44 picks went by without anyone wanting a strong, tough, proven leader at point guard. Just because he can jump higher than basically everyone at the NBA combine and he has a fantastic shooting touch to go along with excellent pick-and-roll abilities, all while being an absolute bulldog on defense, doesn’t mean he should be drafted in the first round. He’s just not an impressive kid, and I don’t see him surviving in the professional ranks.
The Celtics probably should have drafted someone like Thomas Walkup instead of him.
At least, that’s my amateur opinion. I’m sure these GMs and scouts know more than me, though, so I guess you should take everything I just said with a grain of salt.