Andre Jackson Question

[Magic32]

He is amazing to watch and can fill up a stat sheet, he can even influence a game without shooting. We hear announcers rave about him every game. Why doesn't he drive to the basket and slam it or shoot a layup? He took 5 total shots last night and all were three pointers even though he had several opportunities to shoot after drives. I'm more than happy with 40 %from three, I just want him to be as confident as Joey C driving. I want him on my team for sure but where is the finishing ability at the hoop? Hurley knows he needs it to make it to the next level.

 

[pepband99]

He is amazing to watch and can fill up a stat sheet, he can even influence a game without shooting. We hear announcers rave about him every game. Why doesn't he drive to the basket and slam it or shoot a layup? He took 5 total shots last night and all were three pointers even though he had several opportunities to shoot after drives. I'm more than happy with 40 %from three, I just want him to be as confident as Joey C driving. I want him on my team for sure but where is the finishing ability at the hoop? Hurley knows he needs it to make it to the next level.

If you think of him as a shoot-only-when-given PG, you begin to see how amazing he is.

 

[Kenny11]

He’s just too unselfish. It seems like he doesn’t enjoy dunking as much as the fans enjoy his dunks and he prefers to create. I wish he would drive and get to the line more at least. I think we just have to accept that he is who he is and there’s nobody like him.

 

[elmcityboy]

i agree with the post (i really wish he had more of a layup package and was a little more selfish) but also just want to point out that he drove a hard close-out and almost posterized castleton at one point in the second half. ended up on the line and hit 2/2.

 

[Conndog]

Andre is such an intriguing player and is really unique among UConn players. I'm trying to think of anyone else that UConn has ever had who resembles him. I thought maybe Scott Burrell from the dream team, but maybe that is just because Burrell was such a great athlete. Scott was a better shooter, but Andre is better at everything else- rebounding, defending, running the offense, etc. It's really amazing just how good he is, and the people who know (such as last night's ESPN broadcasters) just gushed about how versatile and impactful he is. He is the best!

 

[ucp990411]

Gradually becoming our point guard as I said in Chiefs Briefs

 

[Kitaman]

Be careful what we wish for, if AJ were to drive and finish more at the rim he would be gone.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

He is amazing to watch and can fill up a stat sheet, he can even influence a game without shooting. We hear announcers rave about him every game. Why doesn't he drive to the basket and slam it or shoot a layup? He took 5 total shots last night and all were three pointers even though he had several opportunities to shoot after drives. I'm more than happy with 40 %from three, I just want him to be as confident as Joey C driving. I want him on my team for sure but where is the finishing ability at the hoop? Hurley knows he needs it to make it to the next level.

He has shown that Jeremy Lamb floater in the past but he did attempt a drive to the hoop it wasn’t readily available last name night as the they mostly doubled the guy with the ball.
Which is why Clingan was wide open. In basketball you take what they give you.
This is the most unselfish Hurley team. UConn guards in the past did too much of that me against them.
Possibly having mature guys from different cultures has helped create that and Jackson would rather get an assists than a basket. It also helps to have big targets with good hands . We got 33 of our 78 points from the 5 spot that’s over 42%.

 

[Magic32]

He has shown that Jeremy Lamb floater in the past but he did attempt a drive to the hoop it wasn’t readily available last name night as the they mostly doubled the guy with the ball.
Which is why Clingan was wide open. In basketball you take what they give you.
This is the most unselfish Hurley team. UConn guards in the past did too much of that me against them.
Possibly having mature guys from different cultures has helped create that and Jackson would rather get an assists than a basket. It also helps to have big targets with good hands . We got 33 of our 78 points from the 5 spot that’s over 42%.

I get it and appreciate the unselfish play of this team. It’s just Hurley knew Sanogo needed to add an outside shot for next level, he encouraged it and sets up plays for it. I assume Andre will need to drive and at least add consistent mid-range game if not long range for an NBA career. Maybe next year? Maybe he doesn’t need to add anything. I’ll gladly take more floaters and I love his confidence because even an air ball doesn’t phase him.

 

[bigknight3]

Be careful what we wish for, if AJ were to drive and finish more at the rim he would be gone.

If he does that and we win a championship, then yes he'll be gone...

That's what we want!

 

[JT-55]

100% agree.

His mindset is to create angles for the pass rather than attack the rim but I wish on occasion he would have more of a Jerome Dyson type aggression and use his athleticism to get up in the air and create contact. When he comes off those Sanogo/Clingan screens I would love to see him get down hill and attack a few times a game. Would put so much pressure on the defense if they occasionally saw him do that and open up even more passing opportunities for him.

Love the passing and the unselfish play but it would just add another dimension to his all around game I think

 

[BlueMAB]

It really isn't his role to be a primary scorer. To be frank, Jackson is the guy you want to rebound when someone misses a three, jumper or whatever.

I'm not sure anyone is asking him to be a primary scorer, just to not be afraid to attack the rim the way Joey C does.

 

[jake14mw]

Jackson actually drives me a little nuts. Whenever he puts the ball on the floor the end result 90% of the time is a pass. I think it comes from a lack of basketball confidence. He has probably always been someone on the court who can make things happen by being to outjump opponents. Athletically, he's unmatched. Basketball skills wise, I'm not so sure.

The great thing for him though, is that his skills have improved dramatically over his time here. His outside shot still looks very awkward, but it's a 200 percent improvement of what it looked like when he was a freshman. His handle has improved dramatically also. He has to start driving to the basket though. You would think he should be able to blow by people and dunk over them easily. If I was an opposing coach, I would tell my team, "When Jackson puts the ball on the floor, don't help to the basket, just jump the passing lanes, he WILL try to pass. You don't have to worry about rebounding position, jump the lanes and steal the pass. He won't go to the rim, he won't pull up and shoot it."

Last year, without shooters and offensive weapons, it was maddening. This year, his game is great team wise, it fits perfectly.

 

[MDHuskFan]

Dre is my favorite player we’ve had here in a while. Just a super unique skill set, who gives it 1000% at all times

 

[dingaling]

Andre is such an intriguing player and is really unique among UConn players. I'm trying to think of anyone else that UConn has ever had who resembles him. I thought maybe Scott Burrell from the dream team, but maybe that is just because Burrell was such a great athlete. Scott was a better shooter, but Andre is better at everything else- rebounding, defending, running the offense, etc. It's really amazing just how good he is, and the people who know (such as last night's ESPN broadcasters) just gushed about how versatile and impactful he is. He is the best!

Personally he gives me a Rudy Gay vibe without the shot but way more aggressive.

 

[nomar]

i agree with the post (i really wish he had more of a layup package and was a little more selfish) but also just want to point out that he drove a hard close-out and almost posterized castleton at one point in the second half. ended up on the line and hit 2/2.

He also drove one time, got hacked and passed the ball as the whistle sounded rather than got the shot up, which told me a lot about how hesitant he is to try to finish. It also can cost the opportunity to get 2 FTs, if you're not in the bonus.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

I think @auror mentioned it before about his footwork in the paint isn’t good. Which is why he’s so out of control going to the rim. Hawkins kind of has that same problem too. But that only gets fixed by just attacking anyways and getting reps.

He really needs to figure that out though because there’s no reason anyone should be able to stay in front of him. Forget the jumpshot, if he can figure out how to become a consistent finished that makes his game 1000x times better.

 

[auror]

I think @auror mentioned it before about his footwork in the paint isn’t good. Which is why he’s so out of control going to the rim. Hawkins kind of has that same problem too. But that only gets fixed by just attacking anyways and getting reps.

He really needs to figure that out though because there’s no reason anyone should be able to stay in front of him. Forget the jumpshot, if he can figure out how to become a consistent finished that makes his game 1000x times better.

With Hawkins, it seems like he goes in with no plan a lot of times. He's going to get in there, jump, and then try to make a play after the defense moves to contest. He ends up just kind of throwing up a flailing shot, hoping for a foul call. He's got to learn to go up stronger and more decisively with a finish in mind, use his athleticism, and maybe have a pass ready from where the defense is coming from if it's open.

 

[Waquoit]

I saw Hawkins get in the paint yesterday, take a half beat to set himself, then bury a 10 footer. He's on it.

 

[Palatine]

I saw Hawkins get in the paint yesterday, take a half beat to set himself, then bury a 10 footer. He's on it.

I loved it. Did it twice. It's money.

 

[August_West]

With Hawkins, it seems like he goes in with no plan a lot of times. He's going to get in there, jump, and then try to make a play after the defense moves to contest. He ends up just kind of throwing up a flailing shot, hoping for a foul call. He's got to learn to go up stronger and more decisively with a finish in mind, use his athleticism, and maybe have a pass ready from where the defense is coming from if it's open.

When hes going to rack, he's going. And that crazy attempt is going up no matter what. That's absolutely true. And I think the staff is trying to tell him to do that to free up the jumpers a bit because he's such a good shooter. Probably a net positive so far, so it's probably not bad advice on a season long trajectory. Keeping them honest. Just needs a couple flushes instead of right hand hooks parallel to the backboard to do that. He has it in him.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

With Hawkins, it seems like he goes in with no plan a lot of times. He's going to get in there, jump, and then try to make a play after the defense moves to contest. He ends up just kind of throwing up a flailing shot, hoping for a foul call. He's got to learn to go up stronger and more decisively with a finish in mind, use his athleticism, and maybe have a pass ready from where the defense is coming from if it's open.

Pretty much. He gets them to drop sometimes too fortunately. It’s bad when he misses though because yeah, he’s throwing it up there somewhat lol.

I tell ya man after watching guys like Kemba, Lamb, Boatright, Bazz, and even Jalen Adams be pretty much money around the rim it’s cringe to watch how Jackson and Hawkins struggle to drive and finish. Still one of the best teams in the country though.

 

[El Obrero]

I think part of what’s at play here is that Jackson is still finding his niche in the rotation after having missed the first several games. The roles began to get defined while he was out, and now that he’s back, it’s clear that they don’t need him to score nearly as much as distribute. The urgency for him to develop his shooting in the offseason- so prominent a narrative since last April- has essentially gone away, at least from the team perspective. Clingan can obviously (and surprisingly) take up the offensive slack when Sanogo isn’t on the floor, Calcaterra has proven to be so much more than just a spot-up shooter, and Hawkins is becoming a star very quickly. I mean, I want to see Jackson in the NBA draft lottery at some point too, but this guy is all about team, and he’s obviously happy to do what the team needs him to do to win… And with that being said, I think he’s going to be scoring a whole lot more by the time March rolls around, just because he looks to me like he’s getting better at basketball every time he takes the floor.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

I mentioned in the chat, after several unsuccessful Hawkins drives, that pullup for short jumpers in the lane might be a great option for him. I know he didn't take my advice, but glad to see he found that option and nailed them. He can get that pullup under control on almost any drive, and with his shooting ability they're money.

 

[superjohn]

Pretty much. He gets them to drop sometimes too fortunately. It’s bad when he misses though because yeah, he’s throwing it up there somewhat lol.

I tell ya man after watching guys like Kemba, Lamb, Boatright, Bazz, and even Jalen Adams be pretty much money around the rim it’s cringe to watch how Jackson and Hawkins struggle to drive and finish. Still one of the best teams in the country though.

I had a lot of trouble watching Jalen Adams play, he would do a somersault and a triple lindy to avoid any sort of contact.