North Carolina Basketball: Who is the Tar Heels’ best NBA Draft prospect?

Justin Jackson

Justin Jackson is the only Tar Heel that is a sure-fire first-round draft pick. Jackson is a Top-25 draft pick according to both Ford and Draft Express. He will likely be selected somewhere between picks 14-20.

Jackson is an elite scorer who is an excellent shooter with great range on jumper. The 6’8″ small forward also possesses a good mid-range game and a high basketball IQ. He is not an elite athlete, though he reportedly tested well during the NBA combine.  Additionally, Jackson needs to add strength and is not a great defender.

Jackson had a fantastic junior season, failing to score in double figures just three times all season. He had 19 games of 20 or more points, including pouring in an electric 34 points on 10-of-17 shooting against Kentucky on December 17. But more importantly, he became a real threat from the three-point line.

Jackson, who made less than a triple a game during his first two seasons, drained 105 triples — which was the second most in the ACC (2.8 threes per game). The 22-year old also was second in the conference in three-point percentage at 37.0%.

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Jackson averaged 18.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.8 assists a game this past season. He was second in the ACC in points produced as he shot 44.3% from the field overall. For his career, Jackson contributed 13.8 points along with 4.1 rebounds while shooting 45.9% from the field.