Charlotte Hornets: 3 Players to avoid with the 11th overall pick

Isaiah Jackson, Age: 19, Kentucky, Center

Along with Alperen Sengun and Kai Jones, Isaiah Jackson is one of the three big men being mocked to the Hornets to fill their need at center. Out of the three, Jackson is the one Charlotte should stay away from the most with the 11th pick.

Jackson has a highlight tape that would suggest he’s the perfect fit for the Hornets and there’s no way they can pass on a big man like him in the lottery. He’s an aggressive and emphatic shot blocker and is one of the most athletic prospects in this class who is a great rim-running and lob threat.

Unfortunately, he’s fundamentally raw at just about everything. On the defensive end, he falls into foul trouble quickly, bites on pump fakes a lot and his desire to block shots can lead to a lot of fouls as he usually doesn’t hold back on his attempts.

Jackson has no true offensive game, he makes most of his money in transition and as a lob threat. He doesn’t need to be Shaquille O’Neal in the post, but you would like him to have something in his bag if the ball ends up in his hands down low.

Jackson only shot two three-pointers last season, missing both. He was also 0% from three. Jackson also shot 70% from the free-throw line on about 3.6 attempts per game. His shooting will be the key to unlocking his offensive game and there’s nothing that suggests he will figure that out.

Jackson is not as big as you would like for a center who projects to just be a rim-protecting shot blocker. He’s 6’10 and does have a 7’2 wingspan, however, he’ll need to pack on some pounds and muscle if he wants to bang bodies with the NBA’s best big men. I would not expect him to be able to compete against the likes of Joel Embiid anytime soon.

Jackson is a true long-term project and while the Hornets pride themselves on player development the value just isn’t there for Charlotte at 11.