NCAA Basketball: Top 25 international players of 2019-20 season
By TJ Miller
15) Jhivvan Jackson (Puerto Rico) – UTSA
Jackson and Marquette’s Markus Howard have jostled all season for the 2019-20 scoring title. These two share a place at the top, but they share several similar stat lines. Check it out…
- PPG: Howard 27.2 | Jackson 27.3
- 30+ point games: Howard 12 | Jackson 11
- FG%: Howard 41.5 | Jackson 42.4
- 3P makes: Howard 105 | Jackson 105
Pretty stark similarities in the numbers. I mean even the physical specs are similar: Howard is listed as 5′ 11″, 180 lbs and Jackson at 6′ 0″, 170 lbs. Their playing styles favor each other as well. Like Howard, Jackson will pull up from anywhere, split the opposition with ease, and finish around the rim over far bigger defenders. One difference is Jackson is just a junior, so hopefully, he’ll stick around and keep filling it up next season for the Roadrunners.
14) Nico Mannion (Italy) – Arizona
Some may view Mannion’s season so far as not living up to the hype, but I doubt Nico cares. Mannion is going to keep doing his thing, which is to play with extraordinary confidence and a big-time motor. It is true Mannion has had some rough shooting nights (ie. against Gonzaga or UCLA). It’s also true Mannion had very strong performances in both games vs. first-place Oregon. The freshman also has a 2:1 assist to turnover ratio to this point.
When Arizona can get out in transition, Mannion is best able to showcase his playmaking ability. Having fellow classmate Zeke Nnaji to toss it up to has helped Mannion achieve a place behind only Payton Pritchard in Pac-12 assists. Speaking of Oregon, how fun would another meeting be between the Ducks and the Wildcats? Arizona lost 74-73 in OT in Eugene before a cruel nearly identical 73-72 home defeat also in overtime. Give me Bill Walton in Las Vegas calling another overtime thriller in the Pac-12 Tournament semifinals. Mannion vs. Pritchard in a battle for the Conference of Champions.