2023 NBA Mock Draft: Spurs land franchise PG, tanking pays off for Pistons

At this point in the draft, you won’t find a much better athlete that’s still up for grabs outside of UConn guard/wing Andre Jackson Jr. The 6’6” junior won’t exactly blow you away looking at the stat sheets, but if his time with UConn proved anything, it’s that he can contribute to winning basketball without scoring and without the ball in his hands at all.

On a UConn team that was full of outstanding defenders, Jackson stood out from the pack, using his freakish athleticism to chase down blocks in transition, keep up with opposing teams’ best players on the perimeter in the half-court, and cover tons of ground as a help defender. 

Outside of his incredible feel as a passer, Jackson’s offense is still very much a work in progress, particularly when he’s asked to do something with the ball on his own. But just as Brice Sensabaugh’s lackluster defense could be covered up by strong defensive infrastructure like Toronto’s, Jackson’s lack of scoring ability can be covered up by Sacramento’s high-level offense. If Jackson can come into the league and focus on making plays on defense and making good passing reads on offense, I see the Kings being an outstanding fit for him.