Rick Pitino’s plan to use point guard Ian Jackson may have surprised some in the world of college basketball, but longtime scouts believe it will work.
NBA draft analyst Matt Babcock has followed Jackson since his days as a top prep prospect and sees similarities with current security guards in the league who played ball in college.
“I don’t think he’s a ‘traditional point guard’ quote, but he’s very quick and explosive,” Babcock said. “He’s one of them and looks like Jaden Evie. [of the Pistons]like an explosive guard. I put him in that category. He’s dynamic. He has room for improvement when it comes to overall guard skills. He’s already shooting the ball better than I expected.
“He has the potential to be a very good defender. He is very active, using his athleticism and explosions on both ends of the floor. As he is an offensive point defender, putting some pressure on the opposite ball handler is something Pitino would make good use of.
