Andre Jackson adjusting to life in the pros
The former Husky captain is developing his game on both ends of the court in order to hang on at the next level.
Former UConn guard Andre Jackson seems to be in a good position to have a solid role with the Milwaukee Bucks this season.
As a second-round pick, hanging onto an NBA roster can be tough, but Jackson has already signed a contract and has been showing why he belongs with his incredible athleticism and playmaking ability in the Summer League.
In five games in Las Vegas, Jackson averaged 5.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. He also had 3.6 turnovers per game, an issue that plagued him at times at UConn.
“It just takes time, finding my spots on the court,” he said in an interview with Bucks PR.
On the Huskies, Jackson was also a lockdown defender, usually tasked with guarding the other team's top perimeter threat. It appears the nature of his defensive assignment is changing in the pros.
“In college, I was doing a lot of scraping in the passing lane, denying my man the ball,” he said, adding that his defensive role with the Bucks is a “complete opposite” approach.
“Being in there in what we call eagle and just being in the gap and at that nail whenever that guy's driving that gap, that middle lane…that's probably been the biggest adjustment on the defensive end,” he explained.
Jackson has had plenty of “wow” plays as well, and others that have impressed scouts and analysts watching. This includes a sequence with two straight blocks and also an impressive put-back dunk.
In Summer League, Jackson shot 33% from the field and 20% from three. This is an area that he’ll have to work on, but also where he won’t be asked to contribute significantly for the Bucks. He took six shots per game in Vegas.
Jackson said he’s aiming to work smarter than harder on his shooting, an area where Bucks leadership says it believes any player can improve.
Jackson added that he's “working every day with [assistant coach Josh Oppenheimer]…making sure I'm getting the ball up, making sure I’m holding my follow-through to the end of my shot. Just all the little things and trying to stay focused in and and make every rep count….better off getting 100 really good reps than 500 bad reps.”
After his time in Vegas, Jackson said he plans to head to Milwaukee, find an apartment, and then go back home to spend time with family and friends before training camp begins.