3 standout freshman who could be Toronto Raptors in 2023
By Mike Luciano
2. GG Jackson, PF, South Carolina
Jackson is playing at just 18 years old, as the top recruit in the 2023 class decided to reclassify and start his college journey early. Even with the age difference, his talent has been so exceptional that he is quickly becoming a lottery fixture Toronto may have to move up to acquire.
Jackson is averaging 17.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game while making 43% of his shots and 37% of his 3-pointers. The physicality jump from high school to college is not bothering him, as Jackson is a supremely athletic power forward who can shoot and create for himself. Sign us up!
Toronto Raptors draft: GG Jackson is a tremendous offensive prospect.
Because of how young he is, Jackson will be a long-term project that needs time to adjust to the speed and complexity of the professional game. Learning Nick Nurse’s defense is difficult, and someone who will be 19 during his entire rookie season may run into some trouble here.
The Raptors have built their whole team with the expectation that Nurse could take players that need work and iron out the rough edges while keeping the team competitive. Jackson will be a great test of that, as he has some genuine game-changing abilities.