The Thunder achieved its goal in the 2011 NBA Draft: it added depth and versatility to its roster by selecting Boston College guard Reggie Jackson with the 24th overall pick on Thursday night.
"Tonight, for us, was a great opportunity to add depth to our roster," Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti said.
Jackson stands 6 feet, 3 inches and has a 7-foot wing span. Thunder Head Coach Scott Brooks said he was impressed with Jackson both on and off the court, and said the rookie has a chance to be an impact player defensively.
But Brooks, as did Presti,
“The draft pick tonight has absolutely no reflection on the group of guys that we have in place,” said Thunder general manager Sam Presti. “Specifically with Eric, we love Eric Maynor. He's a huge part of our team. He's probably a bigger part of the team than people recognize. The growth that we've seen in him is not just promising it's really encouraging to see where he's come from when he first arrived in the trade.”
“We feel very good about the process and the information we were able to gather on him throughout the season,” Presti said. “We did have him in Oklahoma City. He's a guy who's a willing learner. He's a guy with great athletic ability. He's a guy who can shoot the ball. He's a guy who really understands he has room to grow and wants to improve and that's where his focus is.”
“Well obviously I’m ecstatic, I’ve been drafted in the first round by a great organization and I feel truly blessed,” Jackson said. “I’m pretty excited about going to a team that can win a championship for many years.
“I loved BC, I loved my experience there but I felt that this was the best time to pursue my NBA dream.”