Where will Isaiah Jackson’s “breathtaking” defense fit?
By TYLER SMITH
ISL Editor
INDIANAPOLIS — It’s one thing to speak highly of your latest draft picks. It’s another thing to gush over them. Not only have the Indiana Pacers been excited about Chris Duarte (13th pick), they’ve been infatuated with Isaiah Jackson (22nd pick).
At just 19 years old, Isaiah Jackson is the perfect compliment to the “more seasoned” Duarte. And it doesn’t matter who you ask in the organization, there is major optimism surrounding the former Kentucky Wildcat. At Media Day on Monday, I was amazed at some of the quotes about Jackson.
“Let me phrase it this way,” Head Coach Rick Carlisle said. “His defensive versatility…. is absolutely breathtaking.”
Come again? Did NBA Champion Rick Carlisle really use the word breathtaking?
Carlisle continued: “He is the most versatile young defender I’ve ever seen in this league. He can guard any position on a switch. His shot is better than what we expected, and he may be able to play some 4 for us, and not just the 5.”
President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard added: “Isaiah Jackson might be the most athletic Pacer since Paul George. We have really high hopes for him. We’ve got a diamond in the rough there, and the sky is the limit.”
The praise for Jackson didn’t stop there. Here are a few quotes from Jackson’s teammates:
Caris LeVert- “The first thing, is his youth. It’s great having young energy in the building. Basketball wise, he can do a lot of different things. In my opinion, he can guard 1 through 5. Offensively he screens, rolls, catches lobs.. I’m looking forward to playing with him.”
Myles Turner- “I’ve been impressed. I don’t think he was able to show his entire arsenal in Kentucky. He’s known more as a shot blocker and rim runner, but there’s a lot more to his game. He has to get stronger, but I think he has a lot of potential and I’m looking forward to working with him.”
The Pacers aren’t referring to Jackson as “future” talent. They are impressed with the current version. But the question is: where exactly will his minutes come from this season? I don’t see an obvious fit, but it would also be odd to keep his “absolutely breathtaking” defense on the bench.
Even with the Pacers’ injury issues, Jackson may still have to beat out Oshae Brissett or Goga Bitadze to crack the rotation early in the season. T.J. Warren will miss time, and there’s a solid chance Caris LeVert misses the start of the season- but there are still some combinations of lineups that may not include Isaiah Jackson. It’s also possible that Jackson will have a spot in the rotation for however long LeVert is out. If he gets an early opportunity and takes advantage of it, maybe he finds a way to stick around.
Jackson averaged 8.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game at Kentucky in just 20.7 minutes per night. Only time will tell if he will live up to the hype surrounding him. But one thing is sure: If the Pacers really want to be known for their defense- Isaiah Jackson will be someone to watch.
