6/22/2023 basketball Edit

UConn's Andre Jackson selected in 2nd round by Bucks

Stratton Stave • UConnReport

Staff Writer

Thursday, Andre Jackson Jr. was selected with the 36th pick to the Milwaukee Bucks. Let's look at what Jackson brings and the fit.

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WHAT JACKSON BRINGS

Jackson is perhaps the most intriguing player in the draft with his unique skill set. There’s no other player who can bring more of a winning mentality to a team, as a fantastic locker room presence. Another thing that stands out is Jackson’s game control and the way he’s able to deliver great passes on the fastbreak and finish when he needs to. His athleticism is off the charts and he has the size. He’s an explosive dunker and can get layups to go, although he’s less reliable in that department.

Jackson is also a phenomenal defender–potentially the best in the class. He’s focused and engaged on and off the ball and is able to anchor the defense. His skills disrupting passing lanes are also stellar, allowing him to get out on the fastbreak. The biggest caveat to his game is the lack of shooting. If he wants to compete as a shooter, he’ll have to tear down his shot and restart because it’s not consistent. Once Jackson realized that shooting wasn’t something that was enhancing his game, he and UConn saw better results. He can still make a name for himself in the NBA without a shot thanks to his elite feel for the game, but that does place a ceiling on the impact he can make.

THE FIT

Jackson was the first player picked by Milwaukee and he enters a lineup filled with gritty players like Jrue Holiday and Grayson Allen. Giannis Antetokounmpo obviously fills most of the minutes at the PF slot, but the idea that he’d be able to find time elsewhere seems plausible. From the Bucks’ perspective, he could play behind Jrue Holiday and the team wouldn’t lose much defensively. He can also fill in minutes at the wing behind Pat Connaughton, although you lose out shooting abilities. The idea of having two non-shooters in Antetokounmpo and Jackson on the floor at the same time isn’t great from the perspective of the modern NBA, but with the way Jackson has made it work in college, it’s hard to imagine him not succeeding to some degree.

Also notable is that Adrian Griffin is the Bucks' coach, father of UConn WBB's Aubrey Griffin.