What is Trayce Jackson-Davis' NBA draft status for 2023? Looking at the prospects of breakout Indiana Hoosiers forward

Trayce Jackson-Davis' NBA draft status for 2023 continues to be on the rise. The bruising Indiana Hoosiers forward is one of the best players returning this season and has proved to be worth the hype.

Jackson-Davis entered the draft last year, but eventually pulled out of it after contracting COVID-19. “TJD” was supposed to show his stuff during the draft combine but was prohibited from doing so due to his illness.

What happened to him last season might have been a blessing in disguise after all. Most scouts didn’t expect him to be drafted last season, but that is bound to change this year. He has played significantly better in his senior year compared to his performance in junior year.

Trayce Jackson-Davis' NBA draft stock is rising as he is averaging 20.5 points, 11.3 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game.

The knock on “TJD” is his free-throw shot, which is just 67.3% over the course of his collegiate career. He is also a complete liability from behind the arc as has just attempted three trifectas in 118 games for the Hoosiers.

The forward, however, is making up for his non-existent three-point shot with a very efficient interior game. He is making 56.2% of his shots from two-point range. How his game projects into the NBA minus a long-range game remains to be seen.

Most bigs in the NBA today at least attempt to make a three-point shot. His role, if drafted, will be severely limited. He will have to expand his impact to the perimeter to become more of a threat on offense than what he currently offers.

Trayce Jackson-Davis' NBA draft potential could see him as a late second-round pick.

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Trayce Jackson-Davis' NBA draft profile could still intrigue some teams

Rudy Gobert and Jakob Poeltl are two NBA bigs who don’t even bother or rarely attempt to make three-point shots. However, both are integral pieces to their respective teams because of their defense and rebounding.

Gobert is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year winner while Poeltl is a versatile big who is also underrated on defense. However, they are both 7-footers with incredible wing spans.

Trayce Jackson-Davis is an elite shot blocker but doesn’t have the height and length to be as impactful as the aforementioned names.

Perhaps a closer comparison to “TJD’s” game is that of Washington Wizards center Daniel Gafford. Montrezl Harrell of the Philadelphia 76ers is another player who brings a somewhat similar skill set and physicality to the table.

Gafford has attempted just one three-point shot in 225 games with the Wizards. He’s a solid contributor averaging 7.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game in his career.

Harrell, on the other hand, has attempted just 79 long-range shots in more than 508 games. He is averaging 12.2 points and 5.1 rebounds since entering the NBA.

Based on Trayce Jackson-Davis' NBA draft profile, he could be a better scorer and shot-blocker than those two. Some teams will be willing to spend a second-round pick on him considering his physical assets and skill set.