Ian Jackson's stock crashing
Ian Jackson was dropped from the starting line-up as Hubert Davis looked to add some size for the match-up with tall Clemson. But it wasn't just a decision based on height, as Jackson is the tallest of UNC's four starting guards.
It pains me to say this, but Ian Jackson has slammed into the freshman wall about as hard as Dale Earnhardt did at Daytona. That magical stretch from the UCLA comeback to the Cal win on January 11th when Jackson was averaging 22.7 points per game feels like it was ages ago.
Jackson was held scoreless against Pitt on just three shots, and he only scored against Clemson in the dying moments of a decided game from the free throw line.
Nobody was more excited about what Jackson could bring to UNC than me, especially when RJ Davis was getting swarmed on defense. Jackson's ability to attack the basket and hit threes from the corner, or take bigs out to deep water and hit them with a step back was mesmerizing.
Either a hit in confidence, a lack of physical sharpness, or opponents figuring him out on film have slammed the breaks on Jackson's ascent. Is the player we see right now someone that an NBA team is going to spend a precious Draft pick on? I have my doubts. Jackson needs to break out of this funk in a bad way.