The Milwaukee Bucks surprised many when they made a draft night trade to select UConn guard Andre Jackson Jr. 36th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Jackson is now one of the many young pieces on this retooled Milwaukee roster that will have the chance to make an impact next season. Due to what he brings to the table as a 6-foot-6 wing who plays tough defense, among other things, Jackson could legitimately find himself in the rotation as a reserve quickly. With that said, let us predict his rookie stat line.
Bucks: Predicting Andre Jackson Jr.’s stat line for the 2023-24 NBA season
2023-24 Prediction: 3.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 40.4 percent field goal shooting, 23.2 percent 3-point shooting, and 67.5 percent free throw shooting in 14 minutes per game.
Jackson could be a do-it-all guy for the Bucks off of the bench next season. He’ll primarily be used as a wing defender due to his build and athleticism. Over the past couple of years, the Bucks have struggled to defend bigger opposing wings due to the team’s lack of tall defenders. Jackson won’t come in and be elite, but he can certainly provide some help in that regard right away.
The 21-year-old could be utilized as the team’s reserve facilitator, given that they truly don’t have a backup point guard on the roster right now. In college, Jackson was an excellent facilitator, as he averaged 3.5 assists per game during his three-year run at UConn. He likely will not see that type of success right away at the NBA level, but if he’s the backup floor general, he’ll make an impact.
Jackson’s biggest obstacle during his rookie season will be finding a way to score the basketball. The Bucks won’t ask him to be a scorer, but he cannot be a non-threat on that side of things if he will play a decent role. He was a subpar outside shooter in college, and that is likely to continue in the NBA, at least right away. Jackson can improve, but he’ll likely struggle in year one.
All in all, Jackson could be a fine rotational piece for the Bucks during his rookie season due to the need for wing defenders and a reserve ball-handler to give Jrue Holiday a breather. This year will be about Jackson getting his feet wet, but he could become a special NBA player down the line.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis and stat line predictions.