Indiana University Athletics
Back For More -- Jackson-Davis Makes the ‘Jump’
10/9/2021 9:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Of course the banners matter. How could they not? They sway almost magically at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, constant reminders of Indiana basketball glory past and, if new coach Mike Woodson has his way, future.
Trayce Jackson-Davis sees them every day. All the Hoosiers do. Woodson leaves them no choice.
"Before every practice we look at the banners, the Big Ten championships, the five national titles," Jackson-Davis says.
"He says that's our goal. It starts with the Big Ten championship. Every practice we build on it."
A pause.
"That's what we're going to do."
Jackson-Davis is a big part of those plans, and not just because he's a 6-9 All-America forward with double-double potential, but it starts with Woodson, who took the job last spring after a quarter century of NBA coaching driven to return IU to national elite status.
Even Michigan coach Juwan Howard sees something special coming.
"He is going to be another coach that keeps me up at night trying to see how we are going to scout and prepare for his team," Howard says during this week's Big Ten Basketball media day gathering in Indianapolis.
Woodson brings a Cream 'n Crimson aura the previous staff couldn't. He was a Hoosier Big Ten MVP under Bob Knight, a Hall of Fame coach who demanded your best, and woe to those -- from players to officials and beyond -- who didn't deliver.
You'd better believe Woodson delivered, from a Big Ten title to 2,000-plus career points to tough-minded intangibles to inspire a team.
Jackson-Davis, a junior, sensed it right away.
"I knew the history of Indiana basketball, but it wasn't a huge culture thing my first two years as it is now. I see the people (Woodson) brings around.
"The transition was smooth. He brought a positive vibe right from the get go."
Jackson-Davis sees and believes.
"This team is by far my favorite team I've been on. It's different.
"The last few years we hung out in groups. Now it's the whole team. We go places; we eat together; we do things as a team. That's good for us.
"We have 12 guys who are almost interchangeable. You go against that every day and it makes you better.
"With Coach Woodson and the vibe on campus, people are really excited. I can't say that it's been like that before."
Success can't happen without good players, great players, players who can shoot, defend, rebound and, when adversity hits hard, as it will, hit back harder.
Players, as it turns out, such as Jackson-Davis, who averaged 19.1 points and 9.0 rebounds as a sophomore after averaging 13.5 and 8.4 as a freshman.
He was good then. He's better now, Woodson says.
"He's made a nice jump from the time we started and where we are today."
Still, the jump hasn't been bump free.
Jackson-Davis has heard the criticism -- that he doesn't have a right-hand shot, that he refuses to shoot open jumpers he's capable of making. Even in the two games in the Bahamas, which IU won, he never took a three-pointer.
What does that mean?
Nothing, as it turns out.
"I took what the defense gave me in the Bahamas," he says.
Jackson-Davis plays smart. He refuses to force when better options are available, which doesn't mean the three-point shot -- missing from his first two Hoosier seasons -- won't show up this year.
"Coach Woodson wants me to shoot from the perimeter," he says. "I'm in the gym every night working on my jump shot, especially with (Bates).
"I'm going to take what the defense gives me and if I know I can score on the inside, there's no reason to go away from that, but if they give me the jumper, I'm going to let it fly."
As for his left-handed shot dominance, well, he's working on balance. The more versatile he is, the better for IU, and for his pro future.
"I'm working mostly on going right, my jump shot, counters with my left hand. Basic stuff like that."
The story of how Woodson got Jackson-Davis to stay rather than bolt for NBA prospects bears repeating. Woodson made him his No. 1 recruiting priority. Jackson-Davis and his father, Ray Jackson, came to Assembly Hall for one of the biggest meetings the program has faced in the last decade.
"When we had our first conversation, it was just me and him," Jackson-Davis says.
"It took me 10 minutes to know. That was it. Talent coming in and transfers, with the culture …
"He brought my dad down. I was pretty much convinced to stay, but my dad is someone I lean on for really big decisions. He talked to him, within the first five minutes we knew.
"Coach Woodson told me he would expand my game. When you're talking to someone who has been in the NBA longer than you've been alive, I don't know how you can say no to that.
"It was a fairly simple decision. I'm glad I made it."
He's also glad for the August Bahamas exhibition opportunity. It provided invaluable experience that could pay off this season. The Hoosiers got 10 practices to build a new team, and two games against a Serbian pro squad to refine things.
Veterans such as Jackson-Davis, guard Rob Phinisee and forward Race Thompson combined such transfers such as guards Xavier Johnson, Parker Stewart and forward Miller Kopp with freshman guard Tamar Bates to give an early indication of what's coming.
"It was huge for us," Jackson-Davis says. "Not just for the chemistry reasons, but to get on the court for the first time.
"We had never played together. It was good and off the court just bonding from being together all summer. We'd already had the brotherhood off the court, it made it stronger."
Woodson has built a roster full of difference-making guys, and yes that includes the ability to make outside shots as recent IU teams couldn't. He envisions a 10-player rotation with this mandate – you earn what you get, and you'd better be ready.
"Everybody's got to play a role," Woodson says." I've always felt that way as a coach. We just can't depend on Trayce to carry the load.
"I'm trying to instill in all of these players that they have a chance to play and make a difference. That's the only way we can win at a high level."
Jackson-Davis likes what he sees.
"Every person has something they can bring to our team. Tamar brings energy and brings almost a goofiness to him. He shoots really well. Passes really well.
"We've seen what Rob can do, what Race and the guys we've had can do.
"Mike (Durr) can also stretch the floor, and has a big body who can bang inside.
"We have components and pieces everywhere. I thing everyone will have a vital impact. It might not be the first game, but it can happen at any time. That's one of thing Coach Woodson always says, when your name is called, you'd better be ready."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Of course the banners matter. How could they not? They sway almost magically at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, constant reminders of Indiana basketball glory past and, if new coach Mike Woodson has his way, future.
Trayce Jackson-Davis sees them every day. All the Hoosiers do. Woodson leaves them no choice.
"Before every practice we look at the banners, the Big Ten championships, the five national titles," Jackson-Davis says.
"He says that's our goal. It starts with the Big Ten championship. Every practice we build on it."
A pause.
"That's what we're going to do."
Jackson-Davis is a big part of those plans, and not just because he's a 6-9 All-America forward with double-double potential, but it starts with Woodson, who took the job last spring after a quarter century of NBA coaching driven to return IU to national elite status.
Even Michigan coach Juwan Howard sees something special coming.
"He is going to be another coach that keeps me up at night trying to see how we are going to scout and prepare for his team," Howard says during this week's Big Ten Basketball media day gathering in Indianapolis.
Woodson brings a Cream 'n Crimson aura the previous staff couldn't. He was a Hoosier Big Ten MVP under Bob Knight, a Hall of Fame coach who demanded your best, and woe to those -- from players to officials and beyond -- who didn't deliver.
You'd better believe Woodson delivered, from a Big Ten title to 2,000-plus career points to tough-minded intangibles to inspire a team.
Jackson-Davis, a junior, sensed it right away.
"I knew the history of Indiana basketball, but it wasn't a huge culture thing my first two years as it is now. I see the people (Woodson) brings around.
"The transition was smooth. He brought a positive vibe right from the get go."
Jackson-Davis sees and believes.
"This team is by far my favorite team I've been on. It's different.
"The last few years we hung out in groups. Now it's the whole team. We go places; we eat together; we do things as a team. That's good for us.
"We have 12 guys who are almost interchangeable. You go against that every day and it makes you better.
"With Coach Woodson and the vibe on campus, people are really excited. I can't say that it's been like that before."
Success can't happen without good players, great players, players who can shoot, defend, rebound and, when adversity hits hard, as it will, hit back harder.
Players, as it turns out, such as Jackson-Davis, who averaged 19.1 points and 9.0 rebounds as a sophomore after averaging 13.5 and 8.4 as a freshman.
He was good then. He's better now, Woodson says.
"He's made a nice jump from the time we started and where we are today."
Still, the jump hasn't been bump free.
Jackson-Davis has heard the criticism -- that he doesn't have a right-hand shot, that he refuses to shoot open jumpers he's capable of making. Even in the two games in the Bahamas, which IU won, he never took a three-pointer.
What does that mean?
Nothing, as it turns out.
"I took what the defense gave me in the Bahamas," he says.
Jackson-Davis plays smart. He refuses to force when better options are available, which doesn't mean the three-point shot -- missing from his first two Hoosier seasons -- won't show up this year.
"Coach Woodson wants me to shoot from the perimeter," he says. "I'm in the gym every night working on my jump shot, especially with (Bates).
"I'm going to take what the defense gives me and if I know I can score on the inside, there's no reason to go away from that, but if they give me the jumper, I'm going to let it fly."
As for his left-handed shot dominance, well, he's working on balance. The more versatile he is, the better for IU, and for his pro future.
"I'm working mostly on going right, my jump shot, counters with my left hand. Basic stuff like that."
The story of how Woodson got Jackson-Davis to stay rather than bolt for NBA prospects bears repeating. Woodson made him his No. 1 recruiting priority. Jackson-Davis and his father, Ray Jackson, came to Assembly Hall for one of the biggest meetings the program has faced in the last decade.
"When we had our first conversation, it was just me and him," Jackson-Davis says.
"It took me 10 minutes to know. That was it. Talent coming in and transfers, with the culture …
"He brought my dad down. I was pretty much convinced to stay, but my dad is someone I lean on for really big decisions. He talked to him, within the first five minutes we knew.
"Coach Woodson told me he would expand my game. When you're talking to someone who has been in the NBA longer than you've been alive, I don't know how you can say no to that.
"It was a fairly simple decision. I'm glad I made it."
He's also glad for the August Bahamas exhibition opportunity. It provided invaluable experience that could pay off this season. The Hoosiers got 10 practices to build a new team, and two games against a Serbian pro squad to refine things.
Veterans such as Jackson-Davis, guard Rob Phinisee and forward Race Thompson combined such transfers such as guards Xavier Johnson, Parker Stewart and forward Miller Kopp with freshman guard Tamar Bates to give an early indication of what's coming.
"It was huge for us," Jackson-Davis says. "Not just for the chemistry reasons, but to get on the court for the first time.
"We had never played together. It was good and off the court just bonding from being together all summer. We'd already had the brotherhood off the court, it made it stronger."
Woodson has built a roster full of difference-making guys, and yes that includes the ability to make outside shots as recent IU teams couldn't. He envisions a 10-player rotation with this mandate – you earn what you get, and you'd better be ready.
"Everybody's got to play a role," Woodson says." I've always felt that way as a coach. We just can't depend on Trayce to carry the load.
"I'm trying to instill in all of these players that they have a chance to play and make a difference. That's the only way we can win at a high level."
Jackson-Davis likes what he sees.
"Every person has something they can bring to our team. Tamar brings energy and brings almost a goofiness to him. He shoots really well. Passes really well.
"We've seen what Rob can do, what Race and the guys we've had can do.
"Mike (Durr) can also stretch the floor, and has a big body who can bang inside.
"We have components and pieces everywhere. I thing everyone will have a vital impact. It might not be the first game, but it can happen at any time. That's one of thing Coach Woodson always says, when your name is called, you'd better be ready."
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