With Josh Jackson announcing [his inevitable decision to turn pro on Monday,][1] it seems like a good time to take a quick look back at the Detroit native’s short but oh-so-sweet Kansas career.
In one year, Jackson cemented himself in KU history by sticking his name all over the freshman record book.
He set the KU freshman record for double-doubles in a single season (13), shots made (220) and shots attempted (429) and also tied Danny Manning for second among all KU freshmen with 258 rebounds.
His 572 points were the third most in KU freshman history, 25 points behind Andrew Wiggins’ record, and his 16.3 points-per-game averaged ranks second to Wiggins’ mark of 17.1.
Jackson also attempted the second most free throws in a single season by a freshman (173) and, believe it or not, made the third most free throws (98). His 1,077 minutes played were the fourth most in KU history by a freshman and his 55 steals put him fifth on KU’s all-time freshman list.
In short, Jackson, as you all surely saw with your own eyes, was nothing shy of remarkable during his lone season of college basketball, getting better month after month and week after week and providing Kansas with an incredible advantage most nights out.
His presence in the uniform and on the floor will be missed by the program and the fans, who finally got to see a one-and-done Jayhawk live up to the expectations they have for these types of players.
Before Jackson’s name merely becomes a part of the record books, let’s take one look back at some of his best moments at Kansas, followed by a few highlight videos that, after watching them, reminded me just how good he was and how lucky we were to get to see him play, up close and personal, 36 times last season.
Jackson is destined for big things in the NBA and it should fun to watch how his career unfolds, starting with this June’s draft and the unveiling of what NBA city he’s headed to next.
Although there were dozens of memorable Josh Jackson moments this season, from monster dunks to sweet dimes and everything in between, here are 10 that stood out to me as both big time highlights and moments or plays that fully encapsulate the kind of player Jackson is.
**10 – Baseline, under-the-basket scoop shot vs. UC Davis in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.** Jackson filled the highlight reel in his first ever NCAA tourney game, finishing with a number of athletic plays on both ends of the floor and filling up the stat sheet. For my money, though, it was this shot that stood out above all of them. Midway through the game, Jackson drove right and was funneled to the baseline by the Davis defender. Undeterred, he kept going through the lane and kissed a reverse layup off the glass with reverse english. Dr. J it was not, but it was close, just as athletic and a good look at just how many tricks this guy had in his repertoire.
**9 – Step-back 3 over Miles Bridges in NCAA Tournament second round.** Another game filled with Jackson highlights — most of them at his good buddy Bridges’ expense — this smooth 3-pointer gave KU a 60-53 with 11 minutes to play and demonstrated just how confident Jackson had become in his 3-point shot. After catching it with his back to the basket outside of the paint, Jackson used his dribble to face up and get Bridges on his heels, took one quick jab step and then a long hop back behind line for 3-pointer right in front of KU bench.
**8 – One-handed, transition bounce pass to Svi in traffic vs. Long Beach State.** Often called the best passer on the team, Jackson showed it time and time again, finding the open man and setting up teammates inside for easy buckets. None of his passes were as impressive as this one, though, when he found Svi streaking to the rim just a couple of steps past half-court and, in one motion, picked up his dribble with his right hand and fired a pass from right to left between two guys and around another that hit Svi in stride for the layup.
**7 – Vicious alley-oop dunk vs TCU at home.** I’ll always remember this one because of Jackson’s explanation of it. Flying down the floor with Frank Mason III in a two-on-one fastbreak, Jackson rose high and flushed it with force like he had done so many times this season. This one though, was a little different. He went up and caught it with two hands and looked like he was going to flush it quickly without making much fuss. But in mid air he decided to turn it into a one-handed hammer because, as he said, he wanted to give the fans a little show. Oh to be able to do things like that on the basketball court.
**6 – Deep 3-pointer to close the 1st half at Baylor.** Not exactly known for his outside shot, Jackson, who shot well above 40 percent from 3-point range in conference play, improved so much in that area throughout the season and hit some big ones along the way. Few were as big as this one against Baylor that just beat the buzzer and helped pull the Jayhawks within six points at the break instead of being down nine.
**5 – Game-winning free throw at Texas Tech.** A day after his 20th birthday and on an afternoon when he scored a career-high 31 points, it was a Jackson free throw in the final seconds of a tough road win at Texas Tech that stole the headlines. Just a 57 percent shooter from the free throw line all season, Jackson stepped up big time in this moment, knocking down the second of two free throws with 2.8 seconds to play to break a tie and give Kansas the win.
**4 – Back-to-back 3-pointers to open 2nd half at Kentucky.** After trailing by double digits in the first half in hostile Rupp Arena, the Jayhawks hung tough and went to the locker room down just five at the break. That in itself gave Kansas a bit of momentum, but the fact that the Kentucky lead was gone altogether one minute into the second half was what really propelled the Jayhawks to victory. And Josh Jackson, almost single-handedly was to thank for that. He buried a couple of 3-pointers, one from the left wing 15 seconds into the half and the other from the right wing 45 seconds later.
**3 – Late dunk at Baylor.** Jackson actually had four monster dunks in this tough road win, but the most critical came in the final two minutes on a sweet drive and dish by Mason, who found Jackson slipping behind Baylor 7-footer Jo Lual-Acuil. Jackson did the rest, destroying the rim with one hand to pull KU within two in yet another dramatic, late-game comeback that delivered a tough road victory.
**2 – Steal and flush at Kentucky that kept Kansas in it.** Jackson had a similar play against Duke in New York City — proving that he likes the big stage just a little — but in this one he flashed his defensive effort, intensity and motor to pick up some easy points for Kansas. After jumping in front of a D’Aaron Fox pass intended for Derek Willis, Jackson cruised in for the uncontested, right-handed hammer jam to pull KU within eight instead of falling behind by 12 or 13.
**1 – One-handed exclamation point vs. Michigan State.** It was a game that meant a lot to him on a personal level and he showed it. Playing brilliantly all over the floor in KU’s second-round NCAA Tournament victory over the Spartans, Jackson capped his monster night with a come-fly-with-me dunk down the heart of the lane that served as the exclamation point on KU’s second victory in Tulsa. After catching a pass from a scrambling Lagerald Vick at top of the key, Jackson gave a quick hesitation move to make old pal Miles Bridges think jumper, and then blew by Bridges and elevated over everyone to send it in and seal the KU victory.
• NCAA Tournament 2017
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• KU at Kentucky
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mA1LQYMwLUU
• General Jackson highlights from 2016-17 season
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXGvordhj7c
[1]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2017/apr/17/josh-jackson-declares-nba-draft/
