Frank Jackson
- Year: Freshman
- Height: 6-foot-3
- Position: Guard
Game Breakdown: Jackson may rival Grayson Allen this year as the team’s most athletic guard, and like Allen, Jackson matches his impressive vertical with an all-around scoring ability. He can be a threat from the perimeter or finish around the rim and play on or off the ball. Teams will struggle to guard Jackson, as he can create shots for himself off the dribble by elevating above opponents, or he can drive down the lane and finish through contact at the rim.
The Alpine, Utah, native comes to Duke after averaging 28.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists his senior year en route to earning a McDonald’s All-American selection. He showcased his leaping ability by winning the McDonald's All-American dunk contest, which was highlighted by his signature 360 Tomahawk.
Role on the Team: Jackson will likely be counted on to handle the ball a lot after point guard Derryck Thornton transferred following the 2015-2016 season. But there won’t be too much pressure on Jackson to bring the ball down the court every possession, as Duke has experienced ball-handlers in Allen, senior Matt Jones and sophomore Luke Kennard. Jackson fits into head coach Mike Krzyzewski's model of positionless basketball with his ability to play alongside the other guards and space the floor with his accuracy behind the arc. It will be interesting to see as the season progresses whether Jackson will become the team's starting point guard or be used as a high-energy scorer and aggressive on-ball defender off the bench.
NBA Comparison: Jackson's athleticism, explosiveness and scoring mentality are all characteristics epitomized by NBA All-Star Russell Westbrook. Much of his game is modeled after Westbrook’s ability to make pull-up jumpers and attack the paint. Jackson can also stay in front of opposing guards well and averaged two steals per game as a junior in high school, disrupting opponents on the defensive end like Westbrook does in the NBA.
Projected stats: 13.0 PPG, 4.0 APG, 2.0 RPG
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