# Josh Jackson (basketball)
**Josh Jackson** (Joshua O'Neal Jackson, born 1997 in San Diego, California) is an American professional basketball player, a 6-foot-8, 207-pound guard-forward who was selected fourth overall by the [Phoenix Suns](https://www.edgepedia.org/phoenix-suns) in the 2017 NBA Draft after one season at the [University of Kansas](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-kansas)[1](https://kuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/josh-jackson/1087?path=mbball) • [2](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jacksjo02.html). He played NBA seasons with the Suns, Memphis Grizzlies, Detroit Pistons, and [Sacramento Kings](https://www.edgepedia.org/sacramento-kings), appearing in 291 games (92 starts) and averaging 11.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 23.1 minutes per game[3](https://stockton.gleague.nba.com/news/stockton-kings-acquire-josh-jackson).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1997, San Diego, California; 6-8, 207 lbs[1](https://kuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/josh-jackson/1087?path=mbball) |
| Draft | 2017 NBA Draft, first round, fourth overall, Phoenix Suns[2](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jacksjo02.html) |
| College (2016-17) | 16.3 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.7 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 51.3 FG%, 37.8 3P% in 35 games[4](https://www.nba.com/timberwolves/2017-prospect-profile-josh-jackson) |
| College honors | Big 12 Freshman of the Year, first-team All-Big 12, Third-Team All-American, Wooden All-America selection[4](https://www.nba.com/timberwolves/2017-prospect-profile-josh-jackson) • [5](https://www.nba.com/suns/press-release/suns-sign-josh-jackson) |
| NBA career | 291 games (92 starts), 11.3 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 1.8 APG, 23.1 MPG with four teams[3](https://stockton.gleague.nba.com/news/stockton-kings-acquire-josh-jackson) |
| NBA honor | All-Rookie Second Team, 2018[6](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/bio/_/id/4066297/josh-jackson) |
| USA Basketball | Gold medals at the 2015 FIBA U19 World Championship, 2014 FIBA U17 World Championship, and 2013 FIBA Americas U16 Championship[7](https://ak-static-int.nba.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/09/Suns-Preseason-2017.pdf) |
| Career earnings | At least $27,963,390 in professional basketball[2](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jacksjo02.html) |
## Early life and high school
Jackson was born in San Diego and grew up in Detroit, Michigan, where he attended Consortium College Prep School[1](https://kuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/josh-jackson/1087?path=mbball). He competed on the [Consortium](https://www.edgepedia.org/consortium) varsity team as an eighth grader in 2011-12, and as a sophomore in 2014 he led the school to its first state title, the Michigan Class C championship, averaging 28.0 points, 15 rebounds, and six assists per game[1](https://kuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/josh-jackson/1087?path=mbball).
He then moved to [Napa, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/napa-california), to attend Justin-Siena High School and play for Prolific Prep under head coach Billy McKnight. As a junior he averaged 31.2 points, 17.6 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 2.3 steals while leading the school to a 29-7 record, and as a senior in 2015-16 he averaged 26.9 points, 13.1 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game[1](https://kuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/josh-jackson/1087?path=mbball). He was considered the nation's No. 1 prospect in the high school class of 2016[8](https://www.nba.com/pistons/features/timelines-pistons-frank-jackson-intersect-i-think-my-ceiling-super-high).
## USA Basketball
Jackson won three gold medals with USA Basketball: at the 2013 FIBA Americas U16 Championship in Maldonado, Uruguay (5-0 record, 11.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 2.2 steals per game), the 2014 FIBA U17 World Championship in Dubai (7-0 record, 10.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game), and the 2015 FIBA U19 World Championship in [Heraklion](https://www.edgepedia.org/heraklion), Greece (7-0 record, 12.1 points and 7.0 rebounds per game)[1](https://kuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/josh-jackson/1087?path=mbball).
## College career at Kansas
In his lone 2016-17 season at Kansas under coach [Bill Self](https://www.edgepedia.org/bill-self), Jackson started 35 games and averaged 16.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.1 blocks while shooting 51.3 percent from the field and 37.8 percent from three-point range[4](https://www.nba.com/timberwolves/2017-prospect-profile-josh-jackson). Kansas went 31-5 and lost to Oregon one game short of the Final Four[9](https://www.nba.com/pistons/features/2020-21-rewind-return-hometown-pistons-help-jackson-get-career-back-track).
He set a Kansas freshman record with 13 double-doubles and set freshman marks of 220 field goals made and 429 field goals attempted, while tying [Danny Manning](https://www.edgepedia.org/danny-manning)'s 1985 freshman total of 258 rebounds; his 572 points rank third among Kansas freshmen[1](https://kuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/josh-jackson/1087?path=mbball). His nine Big 12 weekly honors (seven newcomer of the week, two player of the week) set the school career record for such awards, surpassing [Nick Collison](https://www.edgepedia.org/nick-collison)'s eight from 2000-03[10](https://kuathletics.com/news/2017/6/22/jackson-and-mason-selected-in-the-2017-nba-draft). He became only the fourth Kansas freshman named first-team all-conference, joining [Brandon Rush](https://www.edgepedia.org/brandon-rush), Dave Robisch, and Darnell Valentine[1](https://kuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/josh-jackson/1087?path=mbball).
His best game was a career-high 31 points, with 11 rebounds and the game-winning free throw, in an 80-79 road win at Texas Tech on February 11, 2017, shooting 12-for-15 from the field[1](https://kuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/josh-jackson/1087?path=mbball) • [4](https://www.nba.com/timberwolves/2017-prospect-profile-josh-jackson).
## NBA career
**Phoenix Suns (2017-19).** The Suns selected Jackson fourth overall in the 2017 NBA Draft and signed him on July 3, 2017[5](https://www.nba.com/suns/press-release/suns-sign-josh-jackson) • [7](https://ak-static-int.nba.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/09/Suns-Preseason-2017.pdf). He was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2018[6](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/bio/_/id/4066297/josh-jackson). Across his two Phoenix seasons he appeared in 156 games (64 starts) and averaged 12.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 0.99 steals in 25.3 minutes[11](https://www.nba.com/grizzlies/news/grizzlies-acquire-josh-jackson-de-anthony-melton-and-two-future-second-round-draft-picks-from-suns-190707).
**Memphis Grizzlies (2019-20).** On July 7, 2019, Memphis acquired Jackson, guard [De'Anthony Melton](https://www.edgepedia.org/deanthony-melton), and two future second-round picks from Phoenix for Kyle Korver and [Jevon Carter](https://www.edgepedia.org/jevon-carter)[11](https://www.nba.com/grizzlies/news/grizzlies-acquire-josh-jackson-de-anthony-melton-and-two-future-second-round-draft-picks-from-suns-190707). He spent a large part of the season in the G League but finished it on an upswing with the Grizzlies[9](https://www.nba.com/pistons/features/2020-21-rewind-return-hometown-pistons-help-jackson-get-career-back-track).
**Detroit Pistons (2020-22).** The 2020-21 season was described by the Pistons as his career getting back on track, with a full offseason in the team's system and a contract year driving him[9](https://www.nba.com/pistons/features/2020-21-rewind-return-hometown-pistons-help-jackson-get-career-back-track).
**Sacramento Kings (2021-22) and after.** Jackson finished his NBA career with the Kings in 2021-22[3](https://stockton.gleague.nba.com/news/stockton-kings-acquire-josh-jackson).
## Off-court issues
Off-court problems followed Jackson from college onward. In 2017, the year he entered the NBA, he was ordered to take anger-management classes and to abstain from alcohol and drugs for one year after threatening a member of the Kansas women's basketball team while destroying her vehicle in 2016[12](https://as.com/us/us/2019/05/13/masdeporte/1557780372_285785.html). In May 2019 he was arrested at a music festival after resisting arrest[12](https://as.com/us/us/2019/05/13/masdeporte/1557780372_285785.html). A 2017 draft scouting report noted that every team would need to do its homework on his off-court situation before feeling comfortable with his choices away from basketball[13](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/nba-draft-2017-josh-jackson-scouting-report-stats-lakers-celtics-suns-kings-magic/5gtcf8go5rou1chpe9mogj16r).
## Playing style and assessment
As a prospect, Jackson was regarded as one of the draft's most NBA-ready players and a strong two-way wing. ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla described him as a rare young player who cared about playing defense, and the Suns called him an intense competitor and athletic two-way player[4](https://www.nba.com/timberwolves/2017-prospect-profile-josh-jackson) • [5](https://www.nba.com/suns/press-release/suns-sign-josh-jackson). Suns general manager Ryan McDonough said the team thought he was the best player in the 2017 draft, and scouting profiles compared him to [Jimmy Butler](https://www.edgepedia.org/jimmy-butler) and [Kawhi Leonard](https://www.edgepedia.org/kawhi-leonard) while noting that a consistent three-point jumper was the missing piece[14](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nba/phoenix-suns-2017-nba-draft-grades) • [15](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nba/phoenix-suns-draft-watch-josh-jackson).
His NBA career did not meet that draft position. A retrospective on the 2017 draft four years later described him as having been more or less a draft bust, even while coming off perhaps his best season with Detroit[16](https://www.nbascoutinglive.com/revisiting-the-2017-nba-draft-four-years-later/). A Spanish-language retrospective on draft value counted the pick spent on Jackson, alongside [Dragan Bender](https://www.edgepedia.org/dragan-bender), among the Suns' poor choices that cost them the first overall pick later invested in Deandre Ayton[17](https://as.com/baloncesto/nba/3-2-1-la-nba-vuelve-a-aparcar-lo-sencillo-f202605-n/). At Kansas he was the 79th player drafted in the program's history and the 21st of the Bill Self era, which began in 2003-04[10](https://kuathletics.com/news/2017/6/22/jackson-and-mason-selected-in-the-2017-nba-draft).
## References
1. [Josh Jackson, 2016-17 Men's Basketball Roster, University of Kansas Athletics](https://kuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/josh-jackson/1087?path=mbball)
2. [Josh Jackson Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status, Basketball-Reference.com](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jacksjo02.html)
3. [Stockton Kings Acquire Josh Jackson, Stockton Kings](https://stockton.gleague.nba.com/news/stockton-kings-acquire-josh-jackson)
4. [2017 Prospect Profile: Josh Jackson, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA.com](https://www.nba.com/timberwolves/2017-prospect-profile-josh-jackson)
5. [Suns Sign Josh Jackson, Phoenix Suns press release, NBA.com](https://www.nba.com/suns/press-release/suns-sign-josh-jackson)
6. [Josh Jackson Biography, ESPN](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/bio/_/id/4066297/josh-jackson)
7. [Josh Jackson #20, Phoenix Suns 2017 Preseason media notes (PDF)](https://ak-static-int.nba.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/09/Suns-Preseason-2017.pdf)
8. [Timelines for Pistons, Frank Jackson intersect, Detroit Pistons, NBA.com](https://www.nba.com/pistons/features/timelines-pistons-frank-jackson-intersect-i-think-my-ceiling-super-high)
9. [2020-21 Rewind: Return to hometown Pistons help Jackson get career back on track, Detroit Pistons, NBA.com](https://www.nba.com/pistons/features/2020-21-rewind-return-hometown-pistons-help-jackson-get-career-back-track)
10. [Jackson and Mason selected in the 2017 NBA Draft, University of Kansas Athletics](https://kuathletics.com/news/2017/6/22/jackson-and-mason-selected-in-the-2017-nba-draft)
11. [Grizzlies acquire Josh Jackson, De'Anthony Melton and two future second round draft picks from Suns, Memphis Grizzlies, NBA.com](https://www.nba.com/grizzlies/news/grizzlies-acquire-josh-jackson-de-anthony-melton-and-two-future-second-round-draft-picks-from-suns-190707)
12. [Josh Jackson se resiste a arresto y es detenido en festival de música, AS](https://as.com/us/us/2019/05/13/masdeporte/1557780372_285785.html)
13. [NBA Draft scouting report: Will Josh Jackson's off-court issues impact on-court success?, Sporting News](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/nba-draft-2017-josh-jackson-scouting-report-stats-lakers-celtics-suns-kings-magic/5gtcf8go5rou1chpe9mogj16r)
14. [Phoenix Suns: 2017 NBA Draft grades, FOX Sports](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nba/phoenix-suns-2017-nba-draft-grades)
15. [Phoenix Suns Draft Watch: Josh Jackson, FOX Sports](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nba/phoenix-suns-draft-watch-josh-jackson)
16. [Revisiting the 2017 NBA Draft, Four Years Later, NBA Scouting Live](https://www.nbascoutinglive.com/revisiting-the-2017-nba-draft-four-years-later/)
17. ['3-2-1': la NBA vuelve a aparcar lo sencillo, AS](https://as.com/baloncesto/nba/3-2-1-la-nba-vuelve-a-aparcar-lo-sencillo-f202605-n/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Basketball and court team sports › Basketball players and coaches (biographies) › NBA players, 2011–2018 › NBA forwards, 2011–2018*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license