Keeping It Heel
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UNC Basketball: What to watch for in 2016-17

By Blake Cockrum

Mar 27, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Kenny Williams (24), guard Nate Britt (0), and forward Kennedy Meeks (right) react during the second half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the championship game in the East regional of the NCAA Tournament at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 27, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Kenny Williams (24), guard Nate Britt (0), and forward Kennedy Meeks (right) react during the second half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the championship game in the East regional of the NCAA Tournament at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Will Justin Jackson consistently hit the three?

Mar 27, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Justin Jackson (44) reacts during the second half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the championship game in the East regional of the NCAA Tournament at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

Justin Jackson turned down the NBA Draft this summer and instead chose to return to Chapel Hill for his junior season at UNC.

Although Jackson is considered by many to be the best pro prospect on North Carolina’s roster, he’s got work left to do before nailing down a sure-fire first round selection in the draft.

Jackson’s biggest obstacle will be to consistently shoot well from beyond the three-point line.

In two seasons at North Carolina Jackson has been inconsistent, typically shooting better in the later stages of the season. He’s shot 30.4 and 29.2 percent in his first two seasons, respectively. Each of those numbers is inflated by hot shooting streaks toward the end of each season.

Although his shooting woes have prevailed throughout his time at UNC, Jackson hasn’t been hesitant in shooting open shots from deep. Since 2014, Jackson has taken 212 three-pointers, making just 63 of them for a modest 29.7 percent from deep.

Roy Williams has confidence in Jackson and continues to encourage him to find and take his shots, trusting that he will begin hitting them at a more consistent clip. For the Tar Heels to achieve optimal potency on the offensive end of the court, Jackson will need to hit shots from outside. In the process, it will help the UNC front court avoid sagging defenses and double teams in the paint.

When teams are forced to fully respect the Tar Heels from long-range, they’ll become infinitely more efficient offensively. That’s precisely what they’ll need to do if they intend to get back to the Final Four in 2017.

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