Los Angeles Lakers: 5 players to select other than Lonzo Ball

Kansas Small Forward, Josh Jackson

If the Lakers decide to not go with a point guard with the second pick, Josh Jackson very well could be the reason why. Jackson is regarded by many as the top wing player in this year’s class, and with good reason.

While Jackson isn’t thought to have as NBA-ready a body as Jayson Tatum, he is measured as being the same height and weighing only two pounds fewer. While Jackson isn’t as developed offensively, defensively he is on a totally different level.

If you want someone that will lock up the perimeter, Jackson is your guy. He is a tenacious defender with a motor that is constantly going. His outstanding athleticism, which helps him on both ends of the court. He can stick with players defensively, and offensively it helps him play above the rim.

Jackson’s basketball IQ is extremely high. He uses that to his advantage and is partly why he plays so well off the ball as a cutter and slasher. Jackson is an underrated passer as well; the only thing his offense is lacking is shooting. Jackson needs to work on his jumper. It isn’t broken by any means, but consistency is key; he made only 37.8 percent of his three-point attempts and 56.6 percent of his free throws.

Jackson is one of the safer prospects in this year’s draft class because of his defense. He comes with some off-court baggage, as he will have to undergo anger management classes for an incident at Kansas. On the court, there aren’t any problems with Jackson, who is a gamer and brings it every game.