‘Huge day for South Carolina basketball’: Breaking down impact of GG Jackson decision
G.G. Jackson made big news Saturday by announcing his commitment to the South Carolina basketball program and reclassifying to be part of the 2022 recruiting class.
The five-star prospect from Ridge View High School will be the highest-ranked player to ever sign with the Gamecocks.
The State caught up with two national analysts — Stadium’s Jeff Goodman and ESPN’s Paul Biancardi — to discuss Jackson’s game, his decision and what it means for the South Carolina program.
What is your evaluation and progression of G.G. Jackson’s game so far?
▪ Goodman: The biggest thing for him is, he has everything you want. He is a versatile big and he can do so much. He is exactly what this sport has become right now. You can run everything through him. He’s still got to get better at decision-making and defense, but he is a guy that could be a cornerstone guy and is arguably the No. 1 player in his class. I like him because he is a potential guy, but he also produces.
▪ Biancardi: He has made steady progress from the first time I saw him as a sophomore. He was long and gangling. Recently, in the last three or four months, he was playing at a really high level. He finished his high school year strong. They won the state championship. The pinnacle for him was winning MVP at the NBA Top 100 camp. He was very consistent and very polished, and I think that is why all this changed.
Do you think he is ready to make jump and reclassify?
▪ Goodman: Hell yeah. He is more than ready. To me, I think he will have some things — and Lamont (Paris) knows this for sure — that will take some time. He is not going to be a guy that comes and dominates college basketball. I think he will be a guy that, over the course of the year, will be not only be talked about as the top pick but also put up numbers and hopefully impact winning.
▪ Biancardi: It is a huge learning curve just for any high school kid to go to college. But when you reclassify, it is even more difficult because you (should be) part of a senior class in high school. So I don’t think any kid is ever ready. I do think there are parts of him who are ready and parts of him that need attention to detail.
What do you think are the biggest weaknesses he needs to work on?
▪ Goodman: I think getting better defensively at the next level, obviously, and playing hard all the time. But I love his versatility.
▪ Biancardi: The strength-and-conditioning coach needs to be his best friend. The season is going to be longer, more demanding and the level of physicality is going to be more, not just in SEC games but in all games. So that is No. 1. He also has to develop strong practice habits and be consistent in his approach. It sounds philosophical and it is. But he brings versatility and he brings potential. He is an excellent rebounder and shot blocker at times. He is going to bring so much to South Carolina’s roster from a talent standpoint.
If all goes well and he has a good season, do you see him as a one-and-done?
▪ Goodman: Yes, absolutely. I would be shocked if he wasn’t an NBA lottery pick (top 14 picks). He is exactly what the NBA wants. He is going to put up numbers, and Lamont is going to run a lot through him because he can. He will get the ball off the pass and go.
▪ Biancardi: If he has a good season, he should be a one-and-done. Whether he is an NBA lottery pick, that is to be determined. You don’t know if he will get injured or hit that proverbial freshman wall. There are so many factors, but all the potential is there to go to the NBA after a year.
How much pressure and expectations does Jackson’s commitment add to Lamont Paris in his first year?
▪ Goodman: It is so funny — when it happened, I had a lot of people texting me that is the worst thing for Lamont because it increases expectations. There is no way you can say that. He needs recruiting momentum. What this does, it now makes it cool for some of the younger guys that grew up in the state to go play for South Carolina. Are there expectations now that weren’t there before? Absolutely. But you’ve got to get momentum somehow. And now Lamont has it.
I still think the expectations have to be tempered. They aren’t an NCAA tournament team right now. If he makes them an NCAA tournament team, that is a hell of a year. But if G.G. goes as a top five or top 10 pick, it only helps Lamont sell it to the next kid he recruits. Honestly, I think it is a huge day for South Carolina basketball.
▪ Biancardi: It is going to be an adjustment for Lamont going from Chattanooga to a Power Five. And this is going to be an adjustment for G.G., so they will be going through it together. I’m sure he is the most talented player Lamont has ever coached. And coaching someone that is a local prospect, there are going to bring more expectations for them to be successful from the fan base, alumni and maybe even the media.
But he is going to have to block out distractions and needs to focus on G.G.’s long-term development and make sure he does the little things, make sure he is on time, goes to class and make sure he gives maximum effort. But I’m sure G.G. will do those things. G.G. is very coachable from what I’ve seen. But there are going to be days that he isn’t going to feel like it. Because of the acceleration, he is going to have to become an everyday guy. I think Lamont will do a good job with him, but there are a lot of unknowns.
This story was originally published July 24, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
