Isaiah Jackson (UK Athletics Photo)
If you are looking for a Kentucky player that might be a surprise — which is hard to do when you are a five-star recruit — pay attention to 6-8 Isaiah Jackson.
“I mean, he is a special, special shot blocker. I think he is probably one of the ones that is going to surprise a lot of people this season, just how he’s been playing and his development from the last time that I saw him and where he is today,” Kentucky assistant coach Jai Lucas said.
“I think he is a name that people will start to talk about and mention as we start playing games.”
He’s not an unknown. He was named to the Jordan Brand Classic after averaging 19.7 points, 13 rebounds, 7.7 blocks, 3.3 assists and 2.1 steals per game for Waterford Mott (Mic.) High School last season. He was considered one of the best defensive players in the 2020 recruiting class.
“With his length and leaping ability, any time he can protect the rim and get blocks he can really start our offense,” assistant coach Joel Justus said. “Get deflections or force shots and get long rebounds will be our best offense in transition. He runs the court so well, too.
“Rim protection, rebounding and running the court are the things he does best right now and he’s working to get everything else better, too.”
Before Kenny Payne left Kentucky to join the New York Knicks he told me Jackson was a “unique player” he could not wait to coach.
“The intangibles and what he brings is all about winning. He is a rim protector, gifted shot blocker,” Payne said. “He is a defensive guy who can guard multiple positions.”
The knock on Jackson nationally has been his limited offensive abilities, He worked hard to improve his offensive game last year and Payne thinks he did.
“He is better offensively than people give him credit for. Everybody wants to be a stretch 4, 3-point shooting 4. He can knock down midrange shots, elbow jumpers. But more than anything he is quick as a cat and a freak athlete,” Payne said.
“He is just another good basketball player. He is sort of thin so if he does play at the 5 you want him facing up more than having his back to the basket. At the 4 you want him to do both. Face up and slice and make post plays. He’s good enough to do that and more.”
