Future Watch: Justin Jackson Rookie Basketball Cards, Kings – There’s nowhere to go but up for the Sacramento Kings. After finishing 27-55, tied for the sixth worst record in the league, the Kings were winners on draft lottery night when they were awarded the second overall pick. Now, Sacramento heads into the summer with a top pick in a deep draft along with some very talented young players on the current roster. Rookie forward Justin Jackson is one of those players who could be an essential piece for the team next season.
Jackson was born in Houston, Texas and played high school ball for Homeschool Christian Youth Association. Both his parents were athletes at Blinn Junior College where his father ran track, and his mother played basketball. For HCYA, Jackson was an immediate star, leading his team to a championship in the 2012 season. In his final year as a prep, he averaged 31.5 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. He would go on to earn five-star recruitment ratings by by Rivals.com, ESPN and 247Sports.com.
At the 2014 McDonald’s All-American game, Jackson scored 23 points on 11-of-12 shots from the floor and was named co-MVP of the game alongside Jahlil Okafor. He would also win the Jack Daly Award for sportsmanship. Many top schools recruited Jackson including Georgetown, Ohio State, Texas and Washington. He would eventually decided to play for coach Roy Williams at the University of North Carolina.
In his three years for the Tar Heels, Jackson would earn numerous accolades and cement himself as a solid NBA prospect. As a freshman, he was named First-Team All ACC while scoring 10.7 points per game. He would test the NBA draft waters after his sophomore season, but elected to return to UNC in an effort to develop his all-around game.
That move would prove beneficial as Jackson would increase his per-game stats significantly. As a junior, he set college career highs in three-point shooting percentage (37%), points per game (18.3) and rebounds per game (4.7). He would also help lead the Tar Heels to the 2017 NCAA Championship Game. In that game, he scored 16 points and grabbed four boards to help his team win their sixth title in school history. Shortly after, Jackson would forego his senior season at UNC and declared himself eligible for the 2017 NBA draft.
Measuring 6’8” with a 6’11” wingspan at the draft combine, Jackson’s measurables were very intriguing to a lot of scouts. He didn’t stand out as an amazing athlete, and would need to add 
some muscle to his frame to hang with NBA forwards. His shooting gains as a junior were impressive, but scouts assessed he would need to further advance his shooting abilities for the NBA level. On draft night, Jackson was selected 15th overall by Portland and was traded to Sacramento that same night.
It was an up-and-down season for Jackson in Sacramento. He played in 68 games, starting in 41. His per-game averages weren’t spectacular: 6.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. A lot of this had to do with Kings coach Dave Joerger rolling out different lineups on a nightly basis early in the season. In March, Jackson’s minutes increased as he was given more time to develop on the court. His best scoring effort came on March 22nd, against Atlanta. That night, Jackson hit 7-of-8 shots, including 4-of-4 three-pointers, and finished with 20 points.
Fans in Sacramento are hoping this summer is a big one for the Kings. They have the second overall pick, and the cap room to possibly make some noise in free agency. All of this hinders on a front office that has been less than spectacular in recent memory. There isn’t a guarantee they’ll make the best decisions. Still, with a young core featuring Jackson, De’Aaron Fox and Bogdan Boganovic, there are things to like about this team moving forward.
Jackson is a volume scorer who needs the ball in his hands to make an impact on the game. The team could view him as a sixth-man capable of giving a scoring punch off the bench. Or, they could hand him the reigns as the starting small forward. Regardless, he has the talent to shine in the NBA and he definitely flew under the radar this season. Make sure he’s on your rookie card watch list.
Justin Jackson has some great autographed rookie cards in the market. They can be found in 2017 Panini Contenders Collegiate Draft Picks Basketball. As a top draft pick, collectors can be assured to find NBA licensed rookie cards of Jackson in the complete portfolio of 2017-18 Panini NBA basketball card products during the 2017-18 NBA season.
Future Watch: Justin Jackson Rookie Basketball Cards, Kings – Other Resources
- NBA.com Player Profile – Justin Jackson
- Justin Jackson – Secondary Market Pricing
- Future Watch: 2017 NBA Draft Recap, Most NBA-Ready Players
- Future Watch: 2017 NBA Summer League Top Rookie Players
- NBA.Com
Future Watch: Justin Jackson Rookie Basketball Cards, Kings – Image Gallery
Future Watch: Justin Jackson Rookie Basketball Cards, Kings
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