Jackson named Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Week
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- After stuffing the stat sheet in the Terps’ 84-76 win at Iowa, Maryland freshman forward Justin Jackson has been named the Big Ten Conference Co-Freshman of the Week, sharing the honor with Purdue guard Carsen Edwards, the league announced Jan. 23.
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“It’s actually very humbling,” Jackson told reporters Monday. “I actually didn’t know until Coach Bino [Ranson] told me in practice this morning. It put a great smile on my face just to know that my mind set and hard work have been paying off.”
Jackson netted 12 points and added a team-high nine rebounds against the Hawkeyes, while also dropping four dimes, swatting two blocks and recording six steals. Jackson’s six steals were the most for any Terp since D.J. Strawberry had six against Notre Dame on Dec. 3, 2006.
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The Canadian’s effort on both ends of the floor was apparent to anyone watching the game as he pushed himself to the limit for his team.
“[Jackson] rebounded well and made a big-time shot when the shot clock was winding down, so he did a lot of great things,” Maryland head coach Mark Turgeon said. “We kind of expect that out of him, but he played until exhaustion. He was done. We had to give him a little break late in the game. So all of that was good to see.”
Scoring and rebounding come naturally to the 6-foot-8 forward with a 7-foot-3 wingspan, but it’s the grittier things that his length and athleticism allow him to do that shape Jackson’s mindset on the court.
“I just wanted to focus on doing other things to help my team--focusing less on scoring and more on the defensive end and getting deflections and steals and things like that,” Jackson said.
Jackson also brings to the table the ability to see the floor and pass like a guard, which is unique for a player his size but a product of how he grew up playing the game.
“Ever since I was young, I’ve always been a pass-first type of player,” Jackson said. “I like seeing my teammates shine. It’s just something I grew up with.”
So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Jackson’s impressive performance against Iowa coincided with some of Maryland’s best ball movement of the season. The Terps didn’t settle for early jumpers and continuously looked for the best shot as they assisted on 23 of their 31 buckets in Iowa City.
“We don’t have a problem sharing the ball,” Jackson said. “We like to see each other score, we like to help each other out, so I feel like that’s really helping us.”
A former four-star recruit, Jackson was expected to make an impact for the Terps early on in his college career but wasn’t necessarily regarded as a definite freshman starter or a strong one-and-done candidate.
But Jackson has started 17 of Maryland’s 19 games so far this season and is seemingly getting better with each outing. He’s averaging 10.3 points, six rebounds and a block per game, with just under one assist and one steal each time out, as well. He’s also leading the Terps with a 40.7 three-point shooting percentage (22-for-54).
Jackson certainly has the measurables that NBA scouts are partial to, and if he continues to make plays at both ends of the floor, he could see his draft stock begin to rise rapidly.
Although he is not projected as a 2017 selection by most outlets that cover the NBA Draft, Jackson was listed under “Other freshmen to watch” in Chad Ford’s recent article for ESPN Insider titled, “Rating top NBA draft freshman prospects.”
Ford listed more than 20 other first-year players that stand out as better pro prospects over Jackson at the moment, but there’s a lot of college basketball left to be played and Maryland’s talented rookie is clearly starting to make a name for himself nationally.