Kansas basketball: Making a case for Arterio Morris, Nick Timberlake, or Elmarko Jackson to start
Elmarko Jackson
With how things appear right now, Jackson is the least likely contender for the shooting guard spot. He offers a similar skill set to Morris but has one less year of Big 12 basketball experience under his belt and a less reliable jump shot.
His ability to get to the rim with ease is uncanny for a player his age. We saw him split two defenders on multiple occasions in last night’s win en route to an easy basket at the hoop. The lightning-quick pace he plays at matches the rest of KU’s energy, and that should lead to plenty of fastbreak points. And similar to Morris, he can take the load off of Dajuan Harris defensively by being tasked with guarding the opposing team’s best defender.
When the media asked Jackson what his role will be for Kansas basketball, he responded: “Making the game easier for Juan.” An 18-year-old being able to answer questions with that much maturity is part of the reason he should be considered to get the starting nod. After all, Kansas could use a change of pace guard in its backcourt to offset the often slow and steady Harris.
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