As he prepares for his fourth season in the league, Indiana Pacers big man Isaiah Jackson is primed to have a career year. Earlier this summer, center Jalen Smith left Indiana after two-and-a-half seasons to join the Chicago Bulls. With Smith no longer in the mix, Jackson has a great opportunity to showcase his talents.
Jackson played very little for the Pacers this preseason, averaging just 8.5 minutes across two games. Additionally, given James Wiseman's solid preseason performance, Jackson's backup center role is not cemented. Nonetheless, the 22-year-old revealed the biggest changes he brought to his game this summer and who helped him gain "confidence."
Isaiah Jackson names Jenny Boucek as his biggest help this offseason
In a recent press interview via Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star, Jackson revealed what he worked on during the offseason. The Michigan native said he gained a new confidence in his shot, which he believes will "expand my game a lot."
Furthermore, Jackson mentioned Jenny Boucek, an assistant coach for the Pacers, as the person who helped him find his newfound confidence the most.
"She taught me a lot this year," Jackson said. "The confidence I have in my shot now, it feels way smoother than how it was in previous years. She helped me elevate it to where I can shoot the ball with confidence. I feel like it's going to help the team. With me being a lob threat and being able to shoot the ball, it's going to expand my game a lot."
Boucek has been with Indiana since Rick Carlisle came back as the team's head coach in 2021. Since then, she has made her presence felt on the team, particularly working with T.J. McConnell and Andrew Nembhard (subscription required).
It is unknown how different Jackson's shooting game will be, but given that he is a career 20.6% shooter from beyond the arc and is a very limited scorer outside the paint, any improvement will provide a huge boost for the Pacers on offense.
Additionally, with Jackson likely seeing a larger role this season, he has the opportunity to showcase his value on the Pacers' second unit. He is not a threat to take Myles Turner's starting job, but he can still become an essential part of the Pacers roster for the present and the future.
Jackson already provides great energy and is very athletic. These traits will always prove useful in Rick Carlisle's system, but if Jackson has truly made the changes to improve his game even more, there is no reason to believe he is not bound for the best season of his career, cementing himself in Indiana's long-term plans.
The Pacers will not have to wait long to see Jackson back on the court. On October 23, the Pacers will go on the road to face the Detroit Pistons in their season opener. This will be as good a time as any to see what Jackson can do with his new opportunity as the Pacers aim to begin another playoff campaign.