Trayce Jackson-Davis said he had a chip on his shoulder after being passed up on NBA Draft night.
Six months later, the former IU basketball star is on a roll.
On Friday evening the Golden State rookie produced his second career double-double, joining Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren as the only rookies with consecutive point/rebound double-doubles this season.
Wembanyama and Holmgren were the first and second overall picks in the 2023 and 2022 drafts, respectively. Jackson-Davis was the 57th pick in 2023.
He is also the first Warriors rookie since Anthony Randolph in 2009 to tally 15-plus rebounds in a game.
During the the draft Jackson-Davis made a social media post that went viral as he fell down the board.
“Y’all will regret it,” he wrote.
The consensus first team All-American at IU is delivering on that promise.
Here are Jackson-Davis’ last three games:
- 12/22: 25 minutes, 10 points, 15 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block
- 12/19: 29 minutes, 10 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assists, 3 blocks
- 12/17: 18 minutes, 14 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block, 2 steals
Over that three-game span, Jackson-Davis has made 16-of-23 shots (69.5 percent). He has not attempted a three-pointer during his brief time in the NBA, and he never made a three at IU. Many believe that is why he fell down the draft board. But his head coach sees a skill set that is more than making up for a lack of perimeter shooting.
Earlier in the week, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Jackson-Davis had earned a substantial role in the rotation.
“We saw it in preseason,” Kerr told the media. “We’ve seen it when we put him out there. The ability to finish, to block shots. He plays above the rim, and that’s different from our other guys.
“What Trayce is giving us is a different look. And it changes the way the defense has to react. When he’s diving, the help side has to pull in and that opens up a lot for us offensively.”
Jackson-Davis is just taking it all in.
“I’m learning,” he told the media on Friday evening. “It’s my rookie season, so I just want to get better and grind.”
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