Trayce Jackson-Davis Ranked No. 2 on Sports Illustrated List of Top Returning Players

Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana's standout freshman who led the team in scoring and rebounding in 2020, is one of the top returning players according to an SI national ranking.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Big things are expected of Indiana forward Trayce Jackson-Davis next year. After the 6-foot-9 standout announced that he was returning to Bloomington for his sophomore season, he has national experts crowing about his potential in the 2020-21 season.

Jackson-Davis averaged 13.5 points and 8.6 rebounds a year ago for the Hoosiers, both team highs. Indiana finished with a 20-12 record and likely would have made the NCAA Tournament if the season hadn't been shut down prematurely by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The numbers should shoot up even more next year, and Sports Illustrated's Jeremy Woo had Jackson-Davis at No. 2 on his list of top-10 returning players in the country. The only other Big Ten underclassman on the list was Michigan's Franz Wagner, who checked in at No. 9.

Here is Woo's list of top-10 returning players

1. James Bouknight, Connecticut
2. Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
3. David Johnson, Louisville
4. Keyontae Johnson, Florida
5. Kai Jones, Texas
6. Scottie Lewis, Florida
7. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Villanova
8. Terrance Shannon, Texas Tech
9. Franz Wagner, Michigan
10. Romeo Weems, DePaul

Here is the link to the complete story breaking down all 10 players.

Indiana freshman Trayce Jackson-Davis (4) had 12 double-doubIes this season, including one at Minnesota when he had a season-high 27 points and 16 rebounds. (USA TODAY Sports)

Woo was a bit critical of Jackson-Davis's one-dimensional game this season, but we have written often about how he plans to expand his game more out on to the perimeter next year. He had 12 double-doubles this season — Indiana went 11-1 in such games — and has proven his skills around the court during his high school career at Center Grove, where he earned 2019 Indiana Mr. Basketball honors.

Here are Woo's comments on Jackson-Davis:

"From an analytic perspective, Jackson-Davis put together one of the better statistical profiles of any freshman, with impressive efficiency around the basket and a prolific block rate pointing to his potential as a low-maintenance, high-energy big. He did that in spite of being unpolished from a skill perspective, with extreme left-handed tendencies as a finisher and an undeveloped jumper. 

"Jackson-Davis is already 20 and isn’t as tall as you’d like for an NBA center, but his wingspan, quick second jump and basketball bloodlines (his father is former Indiana Pacers standout Dale Davis) all help his case as a potential late-bloomer. He’s not the type of guy teams will end up playing through, but has the tools to succeed without heavy usage, provided he can diversify his game around the basket.''

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— Indiana On BTN (@IndianaOnBTN) April 3, 2020

.Woo is a big fan of UConn's James Bouknight, who topped his list. He said Bouknight is "arguably the most intriguing, would-be eligible prospect not to declare for the 2020 draft, Bouknight made massive strides in the second half of UConn’s season and will walk into a brighter spotlight as a sophomore, as the Huskies exit the AAC and return to the Big East.

"In terms of long-term potential, Bouknight already had a case as a first-rounder, with a demonstrable level of maturity for a freshman and a high-end, natural level of smoothness and explosive athleticism.''

VIDEO: No. 1 returnee, UConn's James Bouknight

Here's what Woo had to say about Wagner, the younger brother of former Michigan star Mo Wagner. Franz averaged 11.6 points and 5.6 rebounds a year ago, playing just over 30 minutes per game.

"Although Wagner didn’t take the Big Ten by storm as a freshman, an impressive final month of the season pointed to his individual growth in a short period of time. He came to Michigan with a strong reputation internationally, and was extremely efficient scoring the ball on whole, despite some forgettable games.

"He’s been viewed by some scouts as a first-round talent for some time, and if his development is any indicator, Wagner should be capable of leading the Wolverines next season. He’s not an elite athlete and has to continue getting tougher and more physical, but he’s a gifted, versatile scorer who looks to be trending in a positive direction.''

There were more than 200 players who applied for early entry into the NBA Draft. They have until June 3 to withdraw from the draft. 

Indiana junior Justin Smith was the only Hoosier to enter his name into the process. Smith was one of 15 Big Ten underclassmen who applied for early entry, with only a handful likely expected to stay in the draft. 

Indiana junior Justin Smith (3) has entered his name into the NBA Draft process, but he has not hired an agent, so he can return to school if he chooses. The deadline to stay in the draft is June 3. (USA TODAY Sports)

Related stories on Trayce Jackson-Davis

• STAYING IN SCHOOL: Trayce Jackson-Davis announces he is returning for his sophomore season, citing "Unfinished Business'' on the eve of the deadline for applying for the NBA Draft. CLICK HERE
• LOOKING FOR BIG ENCORE: Indiana's standout freshman talked about expanding his game next year back in February during a one-on-one interview with Sports Illustrated Indiana's Tom Brew. CLICK HERE
• FINAL GRADES: Jackson-Davis was the only Hoosier to get an A grade during our series breaking down the season of all 11 players. He was clearly Indiana's most valuable player. CLICK HERE

We'd say his freshman year with @IndianaMBB went well.

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— Indiana On BTN (@IndianaOnBTN) April 2, 2020