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Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 06-21-2020, 05:20 PM:

There have been a lot of elite shot blockers come through Rupp Arena in the Coach Calipari era such as Anthony Davis, Nerlens Noel, and Willie Cauley-Stein. I’m obviously not going to put Isaiah Jackson in that category, but he does have some of the physical tools and the necessary instincts to be a great shot blocker in Lexington. As I started to touch on earlier, Jackson is a very quick jumper which allows him to stay on the ground and not bite for shot fakes. He is able to wait until the ball is released and still go block it out of the air. You can really notice that in the clips above. Jackson rarely falls for shot fakes because he doesn’t need to jump until the player he is guarding actually releases the ball. He has also showcased good instincts in both high school ball and on the Nike EYBL circuit when it comes to timing his blocked shot attempts when rotating from help defense. His long arms and explosive leaping ability allow him to cover a lot of ground quick and block some shots that some players simply wouldn’t even be able to contest. On the EYBL circuit, Jackson blocked 41 shots in 18 games against some of the best competition in the country so it is clear that his rim protection translates to a high level. In order for Jackson to become a good on-ball defender at the SEC level and block some shots in the post he will need to improve his strength, but from day one you can expect some highlight reel blocks when he is off the ball and rotating to help.

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Posted by Bama Cat (Member # 153) on 06-21-2020, 06:51 PM:

This is why I have said he will be a starter from day 1 in either the 5 or 4 spot. His timing of his jump reminds me a lot of Davis.

Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 06-21-2020, 08:43 PM:

Jackson and Saar would make an awesome frontcourt to go with our outstanding stable of guards.

The mind reels with the possibilities...

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 06-21-2020, 09:35 PM:

It's going to be a fun year with lots wins and good solid basketball.