Izzo, Stephens watch Jackson-Davis in Grand Rapids
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Hall of Fame head coach Tom Izzo and associate head coach Dwayne Stephens had a front-row seat for Spiece Indy Heat’s 77-44 win over Wisconsin Playground Warriors in the opening game of Brawl for the Ball on Thursday night.
The Spartan contingent was there to watch five-star forward Trayce Jackson-Davis, who delivered a 16-point, eight-rebound performance, with three blocks and three assists in the blowout victory.
“I’m just trying to work as hard as I can, and improve myself by playing against the best competition,” said Jackson-Davis, the No. 16-ranked player in the 2019 Rivals150. “I’m playing hard every single possession. I struggled with that before, but my motor has gotten better, especially during July.”
Michigan State views Jackson-Davis as a dynamic prospect capable of impacting a game the way Memphis Grizzlies rookie Jaren Jackson Jr., the No. 6 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, did as a freshman for the Spartans.
“Coach Izzo pictures me developing like Jaren Jackson, and doing things to get to the league,” Jackson-Davis said. “Coach Izzo thinks that he can get me to play hard, and play with a high motor that I’ll need to achieve my goals.”
Jackson-Davis has a different game than Jackson Jr., the 2018 Big Ten Freshman of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. He lacks the face-up jumper that Jackson brought with him to Michigan State. But there could be some similarities between the two players, provided Jackson-Davis continues to develop as an all-around player.
“No two players are going to be the same, so I’m not going to be the same as Jaren Jackson,” Jackson-Davis said. “Coach Izzo sees the potential in me to be a player that can do some of the things that Jaren did at Michigan State.”
Jackson-Davis has increased his versatility while playing with Nike Elite Youth Basketball Program Spiece Indy Heat this summer.
“I’ve seen Trayce become better on the perimeter,” Indy Heat coach Jason Delaney said. “We’ve done some things with him where he can do some things off the dribble, where he can create more. Tonight, we ran a couple of sets to get him to the basket. For him to evolve as a player, he’s got to be put into situations where he isn’t all the time. For us that means him coming off the dribble where he can create for others, or score for himself if it opens up.
“It’s refreshing for him, and he’s done a great job of it. He’s led our transition and shown that he has the ballhandling skills. So, it’s just a matter of getting in the gym and continuing to develop them.”
Michigan State will be in a strong position to make the cut for Jackson-Davis when he narrows the scope of his recruitment at the end of the month. After that, the Spartans will likely find themselves in a head-to-head match-up with Indiana.
“They want me to stay home, and they keep saying that there’s nothing like Indiana basketball, with the fans and everything.” Jackson-Davis said. “They say that I’ll be a hometown legend if I stay home and play at Indiana.”
For the time being, however, Jackson-Davis is still open to additional suitors.
“I’m going to cut my list at the end of July,” he said. “Right now, I’m open and I’m trying not to get too serious until then.”
North Carolina is among the programs that has recently shown increased interest in Jackson-Davis.
“They haven’t offered yet, but they’ve been talking to me,” he said. “They like that I’m not just a five, and that I can handle the ball a little bit and I’m versatile. I think they like me on defense because I can block shots and stuff like that.”
Michigan State made Jackson-Davis a recruiting priority at this time last summer. The Spartans offered Jackson-Davis last fall when he was on campus for a football weekend.
Jackson-Davis averaged 19.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, and 1.5 assists per game for Spiece Indy Heat during 16 regular-season games against Nike EYBL competition. He averaged 11.6 points and 9.3 rebounds over five games in the EYBL postseason at the Peach Jam.
Jackson-Davis and Keion Brooks, another Michigan State recruiting target in the Class of 2019, served as the 1-2 punch for Indy Heat throughout the grassroots season. Jackson-Davis is playing without his running mate this weekend, as Brooks is battling soreness.
“Keion has tendonitis and he has tried to battle through it,” Delaney said. “He was hurting going into the Peach Jam, and he was 100 percent. The best thing for him is to shut it down for now. He’s got his offers, and the most important thing is health.”