Isaiah Jackson has otherworldly athleticism. Almost every game the Indiana Pacers reserve center suits up in, he has one or two acrobatic dunks that aren't possible for most NBA players. That alone makes him a weapon on the court.
But he knows he needs to expand his game beyond that. Jackson is a unique player that changes a game plan at his best. A few more consistent skills would allow him to command attention every night.
"Sometimes I sort of lean on that [jumping ability] more than just sitting down and playing defense. That can sort of affect the way I play sometimes," Jackson said at his exit interview with the media last month. "I just rely on my jumping ability too much."
Jackson knows that the modern five man needs to be able to guard both the interior and the exterior somewhat. His interior defense is bolstered by his ability to block shots, and he added weight in the summer of 2022. But he struggles guarding bigs every possession. On the perimeter, he can stay in front of guards, but he is too jumpy. In general, he is a positive impact defender. But he knows he can grow.
The same thinking applies to Jackson on offense. He had 84 dunks this season, which ranked first on the Pacers despite being 10th in total minutes. The vertical spacing element he offers is unique, and it makes him confident.
"I feel more confident going into next year," he said.
But he knows he needs to add more to his skill set. Jackson experimented often during games this season. On occasion, he would put together a multiple-dribble move and get a shot up. Once every game or so, he would launch a jumper. He more than doubled his assist percentage this season. Some of those moments looked awkward, but it was necessary exploration.
It hurt Jackson's true shooting percentage and offensive impact somewhat, but those moments studying his own skill will benefit him long term.
"I feel like I learned a lot from just trying to experiment and stuff," Jackson said. "Now, things that I did during the game and sorta experimented on, I feel like those are things that I can work on in the offseason. Sharpen those skills a little better."
When discussing what those skills are, the 21-year old brought up his jump shot, ball handling, and passing. Any one of those abilities would make him a multi-dimensional player, which is necessary for his growth.
It would also make Jackson able to play more positions. He can defend perimeter players, so he can hold up at power forward, but his fit with other bigs isn't always clean. That's why he spent most of his time as a center.
The Pacers didn't explore too many units with Jackson at the four, but his skill set makes that somewhat understandable. A more reliable jumper, or a variety of other added skills, would go a long way in allowing the Michigan native to be more versatile.
Fortunately for the blue and gold, he knows what those skills he would need to add are. And that is part of why Jackson feels like his second season was a success.
"I feel like it was a good step in the right direction for me," he said of his 2022-23 campaign.
It wasn't all about experimentation. The University of Kentucky product improved some of his strengths. His shooting percentage at the rim increased. His turnover rate dropped while his assist percentage went up. Many of his defensive impact numbers ballooned. There were several games where Jackson was a game-changing force, and it's clear he was better in year two.
He also improved mentally. Indiana's center rotation meant that Jackson and Jalen Smith oscillated between playing and not playing, which was tough for both players. But Jackson says it helped him mentally. He has to be ready to perform at all times.
So while Isaiah Jackson didn't show significant skill growth this season, he displayed what he is working on and got better at his strengths. And he knows exactly what he needs to develop to take the next step as a player. In that way, his second season with the Pacers was a success.
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