G.G. Jackson, Noah Clowney Offer Tantalizing Potential

Tuesday's pre-draft workout at the Ascension St. Vincent Center was unique. While most group workouts feature a mix of guards and big men, Tuesday's workout featured six forwards that are all listed at 6-7 or taller.

The two headliners in that group were the two youngest players: 18-year-olds G.G. Jackson and Noah Clowney, two athletic forwards that turned pro after one season at SEC schools.

Jackson is the youngest player in this year's draft class (he won't turn 19 until Dec. 17). He was just 17 at the start of last season at South Carolina, but nonetheless led the Gamecocks in scoring at 15.4 points per game and also tallied 5.9 rebounds per contest.

The 6-9, 215-pound forward out of Columbia, South Carolina wasn't even supposed to be in college last season. He was the top-ranked player in the high school class of 2023, but decided to reclassify and enroll early at his hometown university.

Jackson showed flashes of why he was so highly regarded over his lone year in college, scoring 20 or more points in 11 games, including a season-high 30 points against 16th-ranked Auburn on Jan. 21.

But there were also growing pains, as would be expected from a player that young. The Gamecocks went just 11-21 on the season and 4-14 in conference play. Jackson was clearly their best player and at times forced shots. He shot just 38.4 percent from the field and 32.4 percent from 3-point range while attempting over five threes per game. And while he demonstrated an ability to create for himself, he averaged just 0.8 assists to 2.7 turnovers per game.

"You have to be consistent," Jackson said about what he learned from his time at South Carolina. "When times get hard, you always have to have a level head and stay calm."

Still, Jackson's age and physical ability are enticing to NBA teams. The Pacers are looking for another playmaker that could potentially slot into the power forward rotation and Jackson seemingly fits the bill. He is a ready-made scorer and has the potential to grow into a plus defender capable of guarding several positions with his athleticism and nearly 7-foot wingspan.

"The sky's the limit to be honest," Jackson said. "There was a lot of players in college whether they'd be 20, 21, 22, etc. They were considered elite players and I feel like I definitely matched their level. I imagine where will my game be when I get to their age."

Given his status in high school, Jackson has dealt with lofty expectations from a young age. Playing under that microscope already could make him better suited to adapt to the mental rigors of an NBA season.

"There's been pressure, but I never really saw it as pressure," Jackson said Tuesday. "Once the ball goes in the air for tipoff, I'm pretty relaxed and calm and I'm looking to have fun and play basketball."

Jackson was named to the SEC All-Freshman team, as was Clowney, who averaged 9.8 points and 7.9 rebounds in a supporting role for an Alabama team that won the SEC regular season and tournament titles and earned the number one overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The 6-10, 210-pound Clowney is not much older than Jackson, as he turns 19 in July. He possesses the type of skillset that teams look for in modern NBA big men, a good athlete capable of running the floor, catching lobs, and protecting the rim.

With a reported 7-2 wingspan, Clowney pulled down nearly eight rebounds and blocked almost a shot per game despite playing just 25.4 minutes per contest. He was the third-leading scorer on the best team in the country during the regular season, a top scoring option after likely top-three pick and fellow freshman Brandon Miller.

Clowney could also be able to help space the floor. He attempted over three 3-pointers per game. He converted them at just a 28.3 percent clip, but Clowney said Tuesday that his biggest focus in the pre-draft process is demonstrating to teams that he is a better shooter than his college percentage indicated.

His physical attributes suggest that Clowney could prove to be a versatile defender. He mentioned Tuesday that he studies players like Pacers center Myles Turner and Memphis forward Jaren Jackson Jr., the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year for 2022-23.

Like Jackson, Clowney enters the NBA with confidence that he can contribute to winning quickly despite his age.

"I've got a high ceiling," he said. "...Whatever you need. I guard, I shoot. Whatever you need me to do is what I do."

Both Jackson and Clowney will hear their names called at some point on draft night (June 22 in Brooklyn), likely in the first round. The Pacers have the 26th and 29th picks near the end of the round, though one or both may be off the board by the time Indiana is on the clock.

Wherever they're drafted, it will be a monumental day for both players. Even though they weren't born until 2004 (during Rick Carlisle's first stint as Pacers head coach), making it to the NBA is nonetheless a culmination of a lifelong dream, even if lifelong feels like a bit of an oxymoron.

"I never thought I would have made it this far in basketball," Jackson said about the prospect of being drafted. "But I stuck with the grind, prayed a lot, developed a pretty good relationship with God, and definitely listened to my parents, and I'm here today. To hear my name get called, it's going to be definitely a lot of emotions."

For Alex Gross, simply getting the chance to work out for the Pacers was a dream come true.

Gross grew up an hour outside Indianapolis in the town of Hope (population: a little over 2,000). He played at Hauser High School before moving on to Olivet Nazarene University, an NAIA school in Bourbonnais, Ill.

He had a tremendous career at that level, amassing over 2,000 career points over four years at Olivet Nazarene. As a senior in 2021-22, he recorded three triple-doubles and had another three games in which he scored 40 or more points, earning All-American honors for the second straight season.

Gross elected to move up to the Division I level for his final year of eligibility, playing for Morehead State last season as a graduate student. The 6-10, 250-pound center adjusted well to the step up in competition, starting all 34 games for the Eagles and averaging 12 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 2 blocks while shooting 57.2 percent from the field on a team that won the Ohio Valley Conference regular season title.

Tuesday was another step up in competition for Gross as it was his first NBA workout, but it was an opportunity that he relished.

"I was telling my family yesterday it's just kind of surreal," Gross said. "Growing up watching the Pacers, being from an hour south of here, it's just an amazing opportunity. God blesses me in crazy ways sometimes. It was super fun. I really enjoyed the whole morning, everything that came with it."

Gross remains proud of his roots. The Pacers have invited a handful of NAIA players to pre-draft workouts over the years, including former Indiana Wesleyan star Kyle Mangas in 2021.

"Just to represent the NAIA level-type players is honestly an honor," Gross said. "There's a lot of good talent at that level as well. Just to get this recognition and play for them was a nice honor."

The final three prospects at Tuesday's workout were Arizona State's Marcus Bagley, Montana's Josh Bannan, and Toledo's J.T. Shumate.

Bagley, the younger brother of former second overall pick Marvin Bagley III, is a bit of a mystery to NBA scouts, simply because there isn't much game tape from his time in college.

The younger Bagley played in just 17 total games over three seasons in college, including just five the past two seasons. He averaged 10.8 points and 6.2 rebounds over 12 games as a freshman and flirted with the draft in 2021 before electing to return to school. Bagley suffered a season-ending injury just three games into his sophomore campaign, then appeared in just two games as a junior before being suspended for off-court issues.

Given that limited sample size, Bagley knows that teams will weigh his performance in simulated game action in workouts more heavily. He also knows he will get questions about what transpired in college and is eager to show how he's grown.

"I think I matured a little bit off the court, especially after this past year," Bagley said. "It was a tough time. I learned a lot about myself off the court and ultimately it helped me on the court."

Bagley has been working out with his brother, who currently plays for the Pistons, in Miami.

"Every time I leave, he tells me to handle business," the younger Bagley said. "Just really just staying patient and don't expect too much. Just go in, work, get better every day and eventually basketball will take care of itself."

Bannan, a 6-10 forward from Melbourne, Australia, turned pro after three seasons at Montana. He was an All-Big Sky first team selection as a junior, when he averaged 15 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists while shooting 49.9 percent from the field and 40.4 percent from 3-point range.

"I am a very versatile forward," Bannan said. "Ultra competitive. And I'm going to leave everything I got out there. Can shoot it, can handle the ball. And really just a fiery competitor. Going to rebound, play aggressive."

Bannan actually signed with the Brisbane Bullets in Australia's National Basketball League in April. He will play in the NBL next season, where he will be teammates with former NBA center Aron Baynes, but is going through the pre-draft process to continue his development with hopes of earning an invite from an NBA team to Summer League.

"There is nothing I take more pride in than being from Australia," Bannan said. "My ultimate goal in basketball and one of my goals in my life is to represent Australia (on the national team). I would take great pride in that opportunity."

Shumate, a 6-7 forward, started his college career at Division II Walsh University before transferring to Toledo. He had three highly successful seasons for the Rockets and was named first team All-MAC as a senior, when he averaged 16 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.

Shumate was one of the most efficient scorers in college basketball over the past three seasons, shooting 55.4 percent from the floor and 43.7 percent from 3-point range over 92 games at Toledo.

There's always a place for shooters in the modern NBA and Shumate is hoping that can be his ticket to the next level. He sees some similarities in his journey to Heat guard Max Strus, who also started his college career at the Division II level (at Lewis University) and went undrafted in 2019 out of DePaul but is now starting for Miami in the NBA Finals.

Beyond his shooting, Shumate hopes to show he can contribute in a couple other areas.

"I can guard various positions," he said. "I'm more versatile than people think I am. And just that I'm going to bring positive energy as much as I can."