Indiana University Athletics
DIPRIMIO: High Expectations Don’t Alter Jackson-Davis’ IU Goal – Win
11/10/2020 4:08:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By: Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – It's coming -- the pressure, the expectations, the attention.
In fact, for Indiana basketball standout Trayce Jackson-Davis, it's already here.
Four national organizations (CBSSports.com, Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, College Hoops Today and Stadium) have named him to their pre-season All-America teams. He is a member of the Karl Malone Watch List, as well as the Preseason All-Big Ten Team.
"It's an honor to get those," he says, "but I'm here to win games."
You can almost hear Hoosier Nation offer a hallelujah.
The 6-9, 245-pound sophomore will bear the heavy burden all dominant players face at high-profile programs, especially one poised for a potentially breath-taking postseason run.
Jackson-Davis is ready for it by virtue of talent, work, coaching, maturity and attitude. This is why he bypassed the NBA Draft for another college season to see what Cream and Crimson magic can bring.
"Last April, when I was making my decision to stay or leave, Coach (Archie Miller) and I had a conversation about this. He said, 'If you come back, you'll need to play at an All-American level.'
"That put high expectations on me. It gave me a lot of confidence to produce."
Miller shares that confidence even as he pushes Jackson-Davis to maximize his potential.
"He is the guy everyone is going to look at," Miller says. "We're going to put a lot of pressure on him, but we put a lot of pressure on him last year, too.
"Inevitably he should be a guy that's being considered for one of the best players in all of college basketball."
Better shooting has been a major point of emphasis for the last eight months. From mid-range to the three-point arc, Jackson-Davis pushes for more.
"I want to keep expanding and expanding and expanding my game."
Jackson-Davis never missed a three-pointer last season because he never took one. It was not, he insists, a coaching order.
"They never told me not to shoot (a three-pointer). They told me to shoot to my confidence."
He did that well enough to lead IU in shooting at 56.6 percent, which was second best in the Big Ten.
After a ton of off-season shooting, imagine the possibilities.
"I wanted to get my confidence built up," he says. "I've gained that in the off season. Keeping getting high reps at it. That's what I've been working on. Hopefully by the time the season rolls around, I'm ready to take those shots."
Even better, Jackson-Davis is ready for more than perimeter sharp-shooting. He says he's spent a lot of time on the "short pick-and-pop mid-range shot."
"I need to be able to knock that down."
Jackson-Davis generated impressive numbers last season – including a team-leading 13.5-point average, 12 double-doubles and 115 made free throws -- while being mostly a left-handed offensive threat. Another goal was developing his right-hand effectiveness.
"I put a big emphasis on my right hand. I've been using it a lot more in practice. Not just in drills, but when we play. I'm trying to get those reps up, especially with my right jump hook."
Because opponents will focus much of their defensive attention on him, Jackson-Davis hopes to be more of a play-maker and get teammates more involved.
"I will catch the ball on the high post a lot," he says. "I have to be able to make the right plays."
That will include getting the ball to 6-11 forward Joey Brunk inside and to guard Aljami Durham on the wing.
"I want to be able to hit Joey on a lob if the (opposing) big guy steps up, or be able to hit Al in the right corner. Play-making is a big thing."
So is rebounding. Jackson-Davis ranked seventh in the Big Ten in rebounding (8.4) last season. A double-figure average is within reach.
"I rebounded well last year," he says, "but you can always get more energy on the boards. That's a big emphasis on my game."
With IU expected to play a lot of three-game lineups (Durham, Rob Phinisee and 5-star freshman Khristian Lander in particular). That should give Jackson-Davis "a lot of room to operate."
That's crucial because last season there were five games where Jackson-Davis took five or fewer shots, twice when he took only three shots.
Why?
Because teams packed in defenses to make it difficult to get the ball to Jackson-Davis inside, and for him to get open.
That can't happen this season, and his improved mid-range and perimeter shooting should help.
"There's got to be different ways he can attack," Miller says. "Having more space to play and more guys around him will make him better on ball screens and help him be more of a weapon on the run.
"He's going to have to branch out and face the basket and drive people, which he's good at."
Beyond that, Jackson-Davis must defend better, whether it's against big, powerful centers and forwards, or mobile swing players.
Miller has made that point very clear.
"The one thing I've challenged him more so than anything is he has to become an elite defender," he says. "He has to be much more disciplined and aggressive. He's got to be way more confident that he was a year ago defensively for our team to take another jump."
If he does, and the Hoosiers do, watch out.
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – It's coming -- the pressure, the expectations, the attention.
In fact, for Indiana basketball standout Trayce Jackson-Davis, it's already here.
Four national organizations (CBSSports.com, Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, College Hoops Today and Stadium) have named him to their pre-season All-America teams. He is a member of the Karl Malone Watch List, as well as the Preseason All-Big Ten Team.
"It's an honor to get those," he says, "but I'm here to win games."
You can almost hear Hoosier Nation offer a hallelujah.
The 6-9, 245-pound sophomore will bear the heavy burden all dominant players face at high-profile programs, especially one poised for a potentially breath-taking postseason run.
Jackson-Davis is ready for it by virtue of talent, work, coaching, maturity and attitude. This is why he bypassed the NBA Draft for another college season to see what Cream and Crimson magic can bring.
"Last April, when I was making my decision to stay or leave, Coach (Archie Miller) and I had a conversation about this. He said, 'If you come back, you'll need to play at an All-American level.'
"That put high expectations on me. It gave me a lot of confidence to produce."
Miller shares that confidence even as he pushes Jackson-Davis to maximize his potential.
"He is the guy everyone is going to look at," Miller says. "We're going to put a lot of pressure on him, but we put a lot of pressure on him last year, too.
"Inevitably he should be a guy that's being considered for one of the best players in all of college basketball."
Better shooting has been a major point of emphasis for the last eight months. From mid-range to the three-point arc, Jackson-Davis pushes for more.
"I want to keep expanding and expanding and expanding my game."
Jackson-Davis never missed a three-pointer last season because he never took one. It was not, he insists, a coaching order.
"They never told me not to shoot (a three-pointer). They told me to shoot to my confidence."
He did that well enough to lead IU in shooting at 56.6 percent, which was second best in the Big Ten.
After a ton of off-season shooting, imagine the possibilities.
"I wanted to get my confidence built up," he says. "I've gained that in the off season. Keeping getting high reps at it. That's what I've been working on. Hopefully by the time the season rolls around, I'm ready to take those shots."
Even better, Jackson-Davis is ready for more than perimeter sharp-shooting. He says he's spent a lot of time on the "short pick-and-pop mid-range shot."
"I need to be able to knock that down."
Jackson-Davis generated impressive numbers last season – including a team-leading 13.5-point average, 12 double-doubles and 115 made free throws -- while being mostly a left-handed offensive threat. Another goal was developing his right-hand effectiveness.
"I put a big emphasis on my right hand. I've been using it a lot more in practice. Not just in drills, but when we play. I'm trying to get those reps up, especially with my right jump hook."
Because opponents will focus much of their defensive attention on him, Jackson-Davis hopes to be more of a play-maker and get teammates more involved.
"I will catch the ball on the high post a lot," he says. "I have to be able to make the right plays."
That will include getting the ball to 6-11 forward Joey Brunk inside and to guard Aljami Durham on the wing.
"I want to be able to hit Joey on a lob if the (opposing) big guy steps up, or be able to hit Al in the right corner. Play-making is a big thing."
So is rebounding. Jackson-Davis ranked seventh in the Big Ten in rebounding (8.4) last season. A double-figure average is within reach.
"I rebounded well last year," he says, "but you can always get more energy on the boards. That's a big emphasis on my game."
With IU expected to play a lot of three-game lineups (Durham, Rob Phinisee and 5-star freshman Khristian Lander in particular). That should give Jackson-Davis "a lot of room to operate."
That's crucial because last season there were five games where Jackson-Davis took five or fewer shots, twice when he took only three shots.
Why?
Because teams packed in defenses to make it difficult to get the ball to Jackson-Davis inside, and for him to get open.
That can't happen this season, and his improved mid-range and perimeter shooting should help.
"There's got to be different ways he can attack," Miller says. "Having more space to play and more guys around him will make him better on ball screens and help him be more of a weapon on the run.
"He's going to have to branch out and face the basket and drive people, which he's good at."
Beyond that, Jackson-Davis must defend better, whether it's against big, powerful centers and forwards, or mobile swing players.
Miller has made that point very clear.
"The one thing I've challenged him more so than anything is he has to become an elite defender," he says. "He has to be much more disciplined and aggressive. He's got to be way more confident that he was a year ago defensively for our team to take another jump."
If he does, and the Hoosiers do, watch out.
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