By the time the McDonald’s All-American game is played, most recruits are already signed by the best college basketball teams in the nations. However, there’s always one or two players undeclared. In this case, it’s co-MVP Josh Jackson, who has Kansas, Michigan State and Arizona hoping to recruit him.
The other MVP, Frank Jackson, who played with J. Jackson on the West team, is signed with Duke – one of two players (the other being Jayson Tatum) that will play with the Blue Devils next season. Jarrett Allen out of Austin Texas was another player who is yet undeclared, while the East team had two players without a college to go to as of yet: Marques Bolden and Terrance Ferguson. Kentucky, if you’re wondering, have four players on the McDonald’s teams signed heading into next season. Nothing changes in Lexington.
Kansas, after Josh Jackson who is out of Prolific Prep in California (two of his teammates have already committed to UConn and Utah), have one of the McDonald’s players signed: Udoka Azubuike. Michigan State also have two players committed: Josh Langford and Miles Bridges. Arizona have point guard Kobi Simmons out of Atlanta signed for next season. Prior to his junior year, Jackson and his family moved to California to attend Justin-Siena High School in Napa, California and play for Prolific Prep. ESPN ranked him as the third best player in this recruiting class.
Jackson is a 6’8 player who plays both shooting guard and small forward, finishing with 19 points on 9-for-11 from the field, showing some long range ability, something considered one of his weaker traits, along with hitting free throws. He’s much better player closer to the basket, but not just as someone who dunks the ball and attacks the rim (very good rebounder). He is very good in making decisions under defensive pressure and has what was until recently an underrated passing ability. Many see him as something of a triple double kind of player potential, but he needs to be more assertive at times instead of preferring to kind of blend in with the others and not force himself on the game.