Really didn’t go into detail but figured we need all the basketball intel we can get.
Really hope this team excels in the shot blocking department.
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Jackson looking impressive early...
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Really didn’t go into detail but figured we need all the basketball intel we can get.
Really hope this team excels in the shot blocking department.
Also hoping we are pretty good at three point basket making.
We will always be the best at message boarding.
That came from a Rothstein (meh) tweet. I'm gonna go by what both Calipari and Flint said about Jackson. Good defender and rebounder. Needs to improve his offense.
"Isaiah is without a doubt one of the best defenders in this class," Calipari said. "You’re talking about an elite shot blocker who can guard one through five. Isaiah is acquiring the offensive skills needed to be an exceptional two-way player and I really like his ability to attack the rim in a lot of different ways. Isaiah is a high-character kid and a winner."
"Isaiah is without a doubt one of the best defenders in this class," Calipari said. "You’re talking about an elite shot blocker who can guard one through five. Isaiah is acquiring the offensive skills needed to be an exceptional two-way player and I really like his ability to attack the rim in a lot of different ways. Isaiah is a high-character kid and a winner."
The only thing that concerns me about Jackson is 200lbs. He's gonna struggle in the SEC trying to play power forward or center while only being 200lbs. He will get knocked around like a pinball under the rim. I think he would be a good compliment to Sarr down low, but we need Sarr to be eligible to have any legitimate shot at being a contender.
That really would be the final piece.. We have protypical guards, score-anywhere wings, experienced bigs in Sarr and Brooks. Jackson would be the shot blocking, high defender type that can hold offenses down and help create fast break points. He could be a little of what MKG was for us, just a bit taller.
If anything it may help actually. Every arena Kentucky plays in is bouncing like crazy at the excitement of Kentucky coming to town. That’ll be negated a bit this year. And let’s be honest, Rupp won’t be that much different
Isaiah Jackson is much more Marcus Lee than he is MKG. Just a really bad comp there.
Rothstein was all over IQ as being a breakout surprise last year and that turned out okay. Hope he's right again.
If he is, and Jackson is our 5th or 6th best player, we'll be hard to beat.
If he is, and Jackson is our 5th or 6th best player, we'll be hard to beat.
Agreed....MKG was a beast on boards, could lead the fast break iwht his speed and handles and strong as an Ox. Jackson we know has no handle and isn't a strong dude yet...Marcus Lee comp all the way..
Specifically why I mentioned Jackson being taller and shot-blocker. I'm not comparing their games.
The comparison I'm making is that Jackson, as our 5th or 6th best player, could be the "do anything, guard anyone" type that MKG was. We won't need Jackson to win us games with scoring, or I hope we don't need him to at least.
Okay. You can put it in whatever terms you’d like, it’s just a comp that doesn’t make sense. Like I said, Marcus Lee would b a good comp. Jackson and MKG’s games are just entirely different and there are so many better comps out there than that one.
Because you're thinking about it in position and size, in measurables. And you're not wrong, For that reason Jackson is in the same mold as Lee.
But, I also expect Jackson to perform a bit better, and be more hungry, than Marcus Lee was, who averaged 2 and 2 for his first two years, had an OK 3rd year, then bailed. I think Jackson's contributions will be closer to MKG's, than Lee's.
Yes, I’m thinking about it in every term that makes sense when you’re comparing one player to another.
It’s not an insult to compare Jackson to Lee. Lee was a highly decorated high school player and compares to Jackson very similarly in skill set and measureables. Lee contributed to some big wins with his energy and ability to block shots and crash boards. I’m not insulting Jackson by making the comp. The MKG thing just isn’t anywhere in the same ballpark.
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The reports of Jackson’s timing in shot blocking and aggressiveness as a rebounder — and especially Cal’s remark that he’s a tenacious defender capable of guarding 1-through-5 — suggest a player ready to contribute a lot more than Marcus Lee, who was essentially a volley ball player making the transition to basketball when he got to Lexington.
I note Jackson is the same weight and an inch or two taller than Jarred Vanderbilt. Maybe he can bring some of what JV would have if healthy.
I note Jackson is the same weight and an inch or two taller than Jarred Vanderbilt. Maybe he can bring some of what JV would have if healthy.
A bit of revisionist history here on how we would have looked at Marcus Lee the summer before his freshman year and how we look at him now. Lee was a McDonald’s All-American and a more highly rated player out of high school than Jackson is (overall #19 in his class vs #28). That’s pretty good for a guy who was essentially just a volleyball player. Something tells me if someone would have said that about him here before we saw him play, they would have been torn to shreds.
Also I’m not saying Jackson is 100% Marcus Lee. I was just saying it’s an infinitely better player comparison than MKG, which just makes no sense.
Weird to think Jackson and Vanderbilt weighed about the same. Vanderbilt’s upper body was jacked, Jackson is a toothpick.
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No criticism intended. Yeah, we have the benefit of knowing what Marcus Lee’s true skill level was as opposed to his high school rating - and I’m actually appreciative of what Lee contributed. But based on what informed sources have said about Jackson’s instincts as a shot blocker, rebounder abs defender - including Cal and Mintz and others - I think it is realistic to expect him to contribute more as a freshman.
Not a Kentucky comp but I think he could be a little like Jonathan Isaac; ultra switchable crazy long rim protector and overall disruptive player.
Ha, you got that right!!If anything it may help actually. Every arena Kentucky plays in is bouncing like crazy at the excitement of Kentucky coming to town. That’ll be negated a bit this year. And let’s be honest, Rupp won’t be that much different
Here you are again trying to sound more knowledgeable than you really are. The MKG comparison is actually a really good one. Both can guard any position, both are high motor and gonna compete every single play. Both need to work on their offensive game, making them both defensive players.
The Marcus Lee comparison is actually a very bad one. But I see, no one is gonna change your low IQ mind!
Facepalm. Okay.
For what it’s worth, MKG was a proficient offensive player in college in spite of his lack of a jump shot. He was a demon leading a fast break and could really put the ball on the floor and pass it as well. MKG was so, so much more than a defensive player at Kentucky.
Never said he was bad at offense but he needed to develop a jump shot. He was known for his defense, which in turn made him a defensive player. His FG % was around 50%. His 3 point percentage was like 25%.
Same exact thing Jackson needs to work on. They are very very similar when you look at what they bring to the table as freshman.
You’re still just talking about FG% and 3 point % when you’re talking about offense. Like I said, MKG could really put it on the floor. He could pass. He’s a top 3 player for me in the Cal era in leading a fast break. For me it’s MKG, Wall, and Fox. MKG would grab a rebound and just turn it into a fast break the other way all by himself. Jackson will not do that. It’s not who he is.
They’re just not similar basketball players in any way, I’ll be happy to revisit this thread with you once the season starts.
He should be playing PF with Ware backing up Sarr in matchups he’s overmatched. Also keep in mind the weight on player profiles in high school doesn’t get updated he may be bigger when the season starts
No one is saying their are resemble at all, we’re saying that they both are strong on defense and have weak spots on offense. You’ve created a whole argument on a topic you’ve made up!
My thoughts exactly, on both fronts.If anything it may help actually. Every arena Kentucky plays in is bouncing like crazy at the excitement of Kentucky coming to town. That’ll be negated a bit this year. And let’s be honest, Rupp won’t be that much different
As quiet as Rupp is sometimes it prolly won’t be much different outside huge games.
Cal's statement that he can guard the 1 through 5 is what excites me. For those that haven't seen him play, his quickness/speed & jumping quickness are elite by any standard. Also he has really good body control, can leave his man to help at the rim and get back in position quickly. I believe he had seven (7) blocks at Marshall Co., extremely quick 2nd & 3rd jumper. I don't see him being a quality offensively for some time but I can see Cal utilizing him to guard quick small forwards or large shooting guards. He also has long arms, but other than his quickness I was was impressed how well he blocked out. I do think he will be a major surprise to many but defensively. It's hard to judge talent seeing him play once and watching film. But he was much more impressive live than on film.
I need video proof or it didn’t happen. He needs to add 20-30lbs just like Ware then I will be happy at the back up PF and C spots.
Cobb would you say he has a high b-ball IQ? I liked Lee but you could see he didn’t understand all the intangibles or have all of the skills.
I don’t ever remember Lee putting the ball on the floor and something positive happening. Jackson runs the floor like a deer and is aggressive on both ends. Jackson is much more agile and can do more with the ball in his hands than Lee.