Basketball Primer: Freshman Reggie Jackson

Al Skinner is coming off his worst year since the Troy Bell turnaround. He has a solid nucleus of young returning players, some new faces and a star in Tyrese Rice. Can it all come together and get BC back in the postseason? We will soon find out. In the meantime, let's take a closer look at one of the new pieces: Reggie Jackson.

Reggie Jackson; G, 6'3, 193lbs

What you need to know
Once again Skinner and staff find a player from outside the region looking to play at the highest level. Unlike some of the other Skinner finds, Jackson comes with plenty of accolades. He won numerous awards and is considered the best prospect out of Colorado in many years. He is big enough to play either guard spot.

Strengths
A shooter and a scorer. He'll hit his FTs and nail a 3 on a kick out. He is quick and athletic and should be able to keep up in the ACC.

Issues
His ball handling skills are raw so he probably won't be able to spell Rice at PG when teams are pressuring. How good is his defense?

Miscellaneous
The whisper campaign on his upside already started this summer. That has always been a good indicator of future success. He's got a golden name. I imagine fans yelling "Reg-gie, Reg-gie" after every 3.

Outlook
I don't think he'll start Day 1, but I think Jackson will be a major contributor this season. I actually expect his first season to mirror Rice's freshman year: quick points of the bench, plenty of floor time and groomed for future leadership position. If he starts right away, that is just another sign that he can do big things. Regardless, he brings shooting to a team that is lacking enough consistent outside threats.