No. 3 – Isaiah Jackson
Isaiah Jackson may not be the most skilled big man offensively but he’s a menace on the defensive end! He was named to the SEC All-Defense 1st-team in his lone season at Kentucky after leading the entire conference in blocks per game with 2.6. Jackson is an excellent help defender and his timing is impeccable! His 12.7 block percentage was first in the SEC and 6th in the entire NCAA. Jackson will be able to come in Day 1 and instantly impact the defense, while he continues to round out his game on offense.
I usually don’t like to make comparisons but Isaiah Jackson reminds me a lot of another Kentucky alum, Nerlens Noel. For one, their measurables are very similar. Jackson and Noel are both 6’10” with ridiculous wingspans at 7’2.5″ and 7’4″, respectively. In one season at Kentucky, they both achieved many of the same accolades as well. Jackson & Noel led the SEC in blocks and were selected to the SEC All-Defense 1st-team & SEC All-Freshman team during their short college careers.
Honestly, the only real difference between the two of them is their projections coming into the draft. In 2013, Nerlens Noel was considered a top-5 prospect but because of a knee injury, he ended up dropping to 6th where he was drafted by the Pelicans and traded to the Sixers. Isaiah Jackson, contrarily, is projected to be drafted anywhere in the 10-30 range. His offensive limitations (8.4 PPG) and lack of aggression on the glass (6.6 RPG) make it hard to predict where he’ll land but the potential is there.
The fact that Jackson still has some ways to go before he’s an all-around threat suggests that it may be smart for the Wizards to consider trading back a few spots. A move back would allow Washington to pick up a few more assets while still ending up with their guy. This strategy is somewhat risky though because another team could be high on Jackson as well and swoop him up before they get a chance. For that reason, the Wizards may just have to pull the trigger and draft, Isaiah Jackson, with the 15th pick if they believe he’s the best player for the franchise moving forward.