With Eric Maynor out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL, it is time to see if the Oklahoma City Thunder made the best choice when they made Reggie Jackson their only draft pick in the 2012 NBA Draft.
Reggie Jackson
Wikimedia Commons
The entire draft, all I could think of was that the Thunder really needed to find Kevin Durant a solid backup at power forward. With the exception of center, there was no other position I thought needed help the most. Luckily, the men who run the Thunder are smarter than I am.
I saw the point guard position as one manned by Russell Westbrook with a solid backup in Eric Maynor and a reliable hand in Nate Robinson. Meanwhile, Durant's backup was non-existent, with shooting guards Thabo Sefolosha and James Harden listed as his immediate reserves.
Now, starting the third week of the NBA season, Robinson plays for the Golden State Warriors and Maynor is out with a severe knee injury. That leaves long time veteran Royal Ivey and rookie Reggie Jackson as the backups.
General manager Sam Presti said from the start that drafting Jackson was part of what the Thunder planned to do in drafts from now on. They have their core lineup and now they want to layer it with talented role players who may eventually turn into the team's star players.
Jackson averaged 18.2 points and shot 42-percent from 3-point range as a junior at Boston College, so he brings an offensive mind to the Thunder lineup. Now, with Maynor out of action, it is time to see if he is for real.
In his first game as Westbrook's immediate backup, Jackson scored 11 points and hit four-of-nine from the field. He also dished out four assists and pulled down one rebound.
One important tool for Jackson is Maynor himself, who is serving as a cheerleader and mentor from the bench. If there is anyone who can help Jackson learn what is expected from him, it is the player he is stepping in for.
On Draft Day 2012, I did not believe Jackson was the best pick. Now, I am glad they pulled the trigger on him.
Author Shawn S. Lealos has a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma (2000) and is an avid sports fan that has lived in Oklahoma for over 40 years. He used to religiously follow the Dallas Mavericks until Oklahoma City found a team to call their own.
Source: NewsOK.com
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