Coaches Call Warriors' Trayce Jackson-Davis 'Best Second-Round Value' in 2023 NBA Draft
Trayce Jackson-Davis fell further than most expected during Thursday's 2023 NBA Draft, which has some coaches calling him a steal.
The Golden State Warriors could have sat back and let the night end with one selection – Santa Clara sharpshooter Brandin Podziemski – but general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. jumped at the opportunity to fill the team's needs. Dunleavy traded into draft, receiving the No. 57 overall pick from the Washington Wizards.
The Warriors selected Jackson-Davis, a 6-foot-9 forward who was a consensus first-team All-American during his senior season at Indiana. Jackson-Davis is reportedly getting a three-year contract from the Warriors, and Dunleavy said he'll be on the team's 15-man roster.
“We think there’s tremendous value [with Jackson-Davis], another guy we had pretty high on our board,” Dunleavy Jr. said. “A little surprised he made it that far, but you’ll take what you can get. He’s been a four-year college player, a proven player, skilled player, can do a lot of things — defend, rebound, finish. I thought his passing really improved over his last year or two in college."
Not only was Dunleavy surprised, and in turn, excited, to see Jackson-Davis continue to fall, but various college coaches think he was one of the draft's biggest steals. In an article by ESPN's Jeff Borzello, a group of anonymous college coaches picked Jackson-Davis as the draft's 'best second-round value.'
"He was a guy you could've made an argument to take in the first [round]. Second-to-last pick of the draft is a total steal," one coach said.
"I was surprised TJD dropped that low," another coach added. "I didn't think he was a first-round pick. He can shoot the ball -- he just chose not to shoot the ball for whatever reason. He'll be a guy who can make jump shots in the NBA. He's a very good passer for his size. He's a good enough athlete to play in the NBA. The question is, can he be an undersized 5? His shot will develop to the point where he'll make jumpers as a professional."
A third coach said, "He's not your modern 4-5 in the NBA, but he's a hell of a college player and he produced at an extremely high level. At minimum, he'll be able to help in practices and you can put him in games next year. He'll rebound, he'll battle and you can play him in the post."
Jackson-Davis joins the Warriors with an edge after dropping in the draft, a trait he feels has fueled his basketball career.
"I think the biggest thing for me, I always play with a chip on my shoulder," Jackson-Davis said during his introductory press conference. "Even coming out of high school going to a school like Indiana, a lot of people doubted my abilities. After four years and what I was able to accomplish there, it was above and beyond what everyone thought and this is the next step in my journey and I know I have to work. I believe in my abilities and we'll let God handle the rest. Last night, watching picks going and going, I just basically said I'm fired up and I'm ready to go, honestly.''
"It's just how I am, and having a switch," Jackson-Davis said of his competitive nature. "When you're between the lines, I feel like I'm a different person. I'm a competitor, and when I'm out there, I just want to rip the rim off, honestly.''
Jackson-Davis was one of college basketball's most productive players last season, averaging 20.9 points, 10.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.9 blocks per game, while shooting 58.1 percent overall and 69.5 percent from the free throw line. He made dramatic improvements as a passer and ball-handler during his senior year, but questions surrounding his unproven outside shooting and positional fit in the NBA likely caused him to fall in the draft.
On an established team like the Warriors, who've won four NBA championships since 2015, there's reason to believe Jackson-Davis can fit their system. With perimeter scorers like Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins, the Warriors can emphasize Jackson-Davis' strengths as a rebounder and shot-blocker as his outside shooting develops.
At Indiana, coach Mike Woodson trusted Jackson-Davis to bring the ball up the floor and pass to open shooters, too. And on a team with 3-point sharpshooters Curry and Thompson, Jackson-Davis' playmaking abilities can be highlighted.
"They like to play in space and we both like to pass the ball. We're unselfish. I saw that Steph [Curry] followed me on Instagram, so that's pretty cool. I get to pass the ball to open shooters, the best shooters in the world, so this is a really good fit for me."
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