Terrapin Station
Fansided

Maryland Basketball: Justin Jackson needs more seasoning

By Chris Bengel

Nov 26, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Maryland Terrapins forward Justin Jackson (21) looks to drive against the Kansas State Wildcats during the first half of the championship game of the Barclays Center Classic at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 26, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Maryland Terrapins forward Justin Jackson (21) looks to drive against the Kansas State Wildcats during the first half of the championship game of the Barclays Center Classic at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Justin Jackson sent shockwaves through College Park when he declared to the 2017 NBA Draft.

Despite showing flashes of being a well-rounded player at times, Jackson may not be quite ready for basketball at the professional level.

Since Jackson isn’t hiring an agent, he can elect to return to College Park as long as he does so by May 24. It appears as though Jackson is just testing the waters and gathering feedback.

One of the biggest issues for Jackson was his streaky play.

Obviously, he only has one year of college basketball under his belt. On the other hand, he did have a tendency to disappear during games at times.

Jackson did average 10.6 points throughout Big Ten play. However, he only scored in double figures in nine of the games.

In six of those Big Ten contests, the East York, Ontario native scored just six points or less. On Jan. 14 against Illinois, he went 0-of-4 from the field and didn’t register a single point.

It appeared to be a completely off night because he only accumulated two personal fouls.

Jackson did have a two-game stretch against Minnesota and Ohio State in which he scored 28 and 22 respectively. However, he only topped the 20-point mark one other time aside from those two contests.

Jackson obviously has the frame to be a successful NBA player. While he played the four as a freshman, he’ll most likely translate to a wing player at the next level.

The former UNLV signee really excels shooting from the perimeter. He shot 43.8 percent from beyond the arc this past season.

Jackson also led the team in rebounding, so he’s certainly got several feathers in his cap after just one season in College Park.

Consistency was the biggest issue, but that’s to be expected with a true freshman playing big-time minutes. Jackson certainly could be more successful with another season in the college ranks under his belt.

Next: Best Maryland NFL draft picks of all-time

The talent definitely is there when it comes to Jackson. At least one more season would just benefit him more in the long run.