Relaxed mindset helps out North Carolina F Jackson
In re-telling the story, Justin Jackson is aware he’s making a simple conversation with his parents a few weeks ago sound like it set him upon a path toward greatness or happiness.
All it really was, said Jackson, a guard/forward for North Carolina, was a slight correction of course, not an epiphany.
The Tar Heels had just lost to Duke in the ACC Tournament, and Jackson was dejected. The week before, he had been named the conference player of the year, yet including the loss to Duke, he had missed 40 of his last 60 shots over the previous four games.
“I was just putting more pressure on myself for no reason,” Jackson said on Friday, the day before the Tar Heels play Oregon in the Final Four. “I sat down with my parents and they said, ‘Just be the best you you can be. You don’t have to prove why you earned the award.’ ”
Since then, Jackson has relaxed. In four NCAA Tournament games, he’s shot nearly 47 percent and averaged almost 20 points.
When asked about the improvement, Jackson has relayed the story of the conversation with his parents several times. But he doesn’t want to make the anecdote bigger than it really was.
A 21-year-old college student was going through a difficult time. That student talked to his parents. His parents gave good advice.
“It’s funny,” he said, “because a bunch of people blow it up a little too much. To be honest, throughout the season, I haven’t had too many struggles.”
It’s been a breakout season for Jackson, a junior, who was one of the nation’s top recruits in 2014. He was good, but not great, in his first two seasons but emerged as a force this year.
His scoring average (18.2) is the highest by a Tar Heel in eight years, and he was a consensus All-America selection.
A year ago, Jackson contemplated turning pro, but elected to return to school. When he did, people noticed a difference.
“A much more confident player, and I think that carried over right into the start of the season,” coach Roy Williams said recently.
Jackson has averaged six more points and nearly one rebound more per game than a year ago. His 3point shooting percentage improved from 29 percent to 38. Jackson plays both forward and guard, and his size, 6-foot-8, makes him a matchup problem for opponents.
Left open on the perimeter, he can hit the 3. When Jackson goes inside, he’s effective shooting over smaller defenders.
“Jackson on the wings, 6-7 and long arms, presents some problems,” Oregon coach Dana Altman said. “We’ll have a hard time guarding him. It’s a tough matchup all the way around. We hope to make it a tough matchup for them with spreading the floor a little bit and hopefully using some quickness.”
Both Williams and Altman said they expect rebounding to decide their semifinal game. North Carolina averages 13 more rebounds a game than opponents, and one reason is the Tar Heels crash the boards with nearly everyone, including guards and small forwards.
“Each and every practice, there are always two or three times (Williams) yells, ‘Let’s get to the boards,’ ” Jackson said. “It’s going to be a key for us in this game against Oregon."