Josh Jackson proves he can block shots, too
Kansas guard Josh Jackson (11) blocks a shot by Nebraska forward Ed Morrow (30) during the first half, Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016 at Allen Fieldhouse.
Since his arrival at Kansas, uber-talented freshman Josh Jackson routinely has shown he can do anything coach Bill Self or his teammates ask of him — and even some things they haven’t.
At no point would Self consider attempting to mold his 6-foot-8 perimeter star into a rim protector for the Jayhawks. But Jackson proved in KU’s most recent victory, over Nebraska, he could probably do that, too.
Sure, No. 3 Kansas (9-1) needs Jackson to score (14.3 points per game, 53.3-percent shooting from the floor), rebound (6.1 boards a game) and distribute (3.4 assists) while complimenting veteran guards Frank Mason III and Devonte’ Graham. Still, the do-it-all wing swatted away five shots against the Cornhuskers in the midst of all his typical contributions.
“He’s our best shot-blocker,
obviously,” Self said after Jackson
added that denial-filled performance
to a 17-point, six-rebound outing.
The thing is, the head coach doesn’t want to bestow that designation upon his star freshman, even though Jackson has led KU in blocks four times already. Self would prefer one of his traditional big men emerge as the top rejecting defender in a KU uniform. He said 7-foot freshman Udoka Azubuike “should be” the best shot-blocker and 6-10 Landen Lucas, a fifth-year senior, should rank second.
“But I think Josh probably goes after
the ball as well as anybody,” Self
added.
Per usual, the 14th-year KU coach knows exactly what he’s talking about. When Jackson is in help position, he’s ready and willing to thwart drives to the paint, just as Nebraska found out in its trip to Allen Fieldhouse. There are going to be times when even tough-minded Mason can’t keep in front of his man. Jackson showed not only can he slide over to divert a path to the rim, he knows how to jump straight up and utilize that 6-foot-9 wingspan to his advantage.
Jackson thrives on jumping passing lanes on the perimeter and creating either deflections or steals to ignite a fast break, but he also makes sure to not just occupy space as a weak-side defender. His instincts help him on the interior, too — as does his crazy athleticism. In two quick steps, the 19-year-old NBA-lottery-pick-to-be can come from the opposite block to alter or knock away a layup.
As intuitive an all-around basketball player as a coach could ever hope to recruit, one would think Self would embrace the concept of Jackson as an option as the last line of defense in the paint. Kansas could benefit from a fast, long perimeter talent roaming the floor and chipping in as an interior stopper when necessary, the same way Kevin Durant does for Golden State. Self certainly isn’t opposed to Jackson playing that type of role, but when asked if Jackson could serve as a rim protector in KU’s four-guard lineups, the coach knocked that concept into the student section.
“But you say rim protector, no. Rim
protector to me is when there’s
mistakes made on the perimeter and
you’ve got that guy that can cover up
for him. He’s not Jeff Withey by any
stretch,” Self said of Jackson, while
referencing the program’s all-time
leading redirector of shots. “But he
is a guy that can make a lot of blocks
and a lot of his blocks kind of come
from transition and things like that
where he can run guys down.”
Reality on this subject lies somewhere in between. The fact is KU will utilize a lot of smaller lineup combinations this season, dissimilar from Self teams of the past. When Jackson is essentially the so-called power forward on the floor, the Jayhawks will benefit from him making smart defensive stops inside as a helper.
Self’s hesitance to label his stud freshman as a rim protector has as much to do with his desire for Azubuike and Lucas to step up and take on that task. While Azubuike’s 1.8 blocks per game lead Kansas, Jackson is right behind him at 1.5. The coach needs Azubuike, his 280-pound pivot, to be more of an intimidator. Lucas showed during his junior year his smarts and positioning can make him a stopper in the paint, but his injury issues have slowed him so far this season, leading to his 0.9 blocks per game average.
Truthfully, as Self admitted, Jackson just prevents would-be buckets around the rim better than any other player on the roster. His competitive nature plays a part in that, too. On one play against Nebraska, Jackson left his man in the left corner in order to help in the paint against a big. When that defensive response prompted a kick out to Jackson’s man, who was cutting baseline, Jackson immediately returned his attention where it needed to be and rose up to smack away the layup attempt.
Self might not consider Jackson a rim protector in the half-court in the traditional sense, simply because he doesn’t occupy as much of an area in the paint as Azubuike or Lucas or Withey. But Jackson can control the air space in front of the backboard with ease as the 4-man in KU’s four-guard lineups.
When Jackson is the last line of defense instead of Lucas or Azubuike or Carlton Bragg or Dwight Coleby, the Jayhawks have no need to worry. Their outstanding freshman is as likely as anyone to thwart a layup or dunk and provide Kansas with those defensive stops Self values so greatly.