Early NBA success for Trayce Jackson-Davis ‘absolutely’ a byproduct of Mike Woodson at Indiana basketball

Trayce Jackson-Davis was a McDonald’s All-American coming out of high school. The talent was there but it was his final two years with Indiana basketball that elevated his game to another level — becoming a starting center in the NBA in the second half of his rookie season. Why and how did he get there? Mike Woodson.

Woodson took over the Indiana basketball program ahead of Jackson-Davis’ junior season — one that wasn’t expected to happen until a critical meeting between Woodson and Jackson-Davis. After a successful junior campaign averaging 18.3 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and 1.9 assists per game it was another summer in which the decision was to leave IU and head to the NBA.

Instead, covid threw a wrench into Jackson-Davis’ plans and kept him out of the NBA Combine. So, he decided to come back to Indiana. That’s when his game was elevated once again.

He took his per game averages to 20.9 points, 10.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.9 blocks per game. His game opened up and his entire skillset was on display — not just his scoring.

“That’s something I learned my junior and senior year with Mike Woodson, especially senior year. Just doing whatever it takes to help my team win,” Jackson-Davis said on ‘95.7 The Game’ heading into Summer League action. “Whether it be rebound, blocking shots, passing to open guys — anything I can do to help my team win. So coming in this year (with the Warriors) and not knowing the certainty, so establishing myself against the Trail Blazers and then Boston the next game, was being a plus guy on the team and doing whatever I could to help.”

Establishing himself he did. Trayce Jackson-Davis ended this year with averages of 7.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.1 blocks per game. He appeared in 68 games and had 16 starts, averaging 16.6 minutes per game. He also 70.2 percent from the floor.

He started the final 11 games of the season for the Warriors, playing 25.3 minutes per game. He saw his averages increase to 10.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.6 blocks per game.

“I thought overall I had a pretty solid rookie season,” Jackson-Davis said during his exit interview at the end of the season. “Obviously there’s always room for growth. But just kind of just going through the ups and downs and embracing the struggle, embracing the success not getting too high or too low, but just trying to stay even.”

There’s no question that Jackson-Davis has set himself up for a key role next year with the Golden State Warriors. He’s likely to start to begin the season and play a pivotal role on both ends of the floor — not just defensively and at the rim.

“The biggest thing that I’m working on this summer is being more versatile. Attacking more, being more offensive minded,” He said to The Game. “But at the same time on the defensive end of the floor, being able to guard 1-5 and being able to switch and help my guys out that way.”

There’s always a learning curve when you head to college from high school and then the NBA from college. That was evident in numerous ways with Indiana basketball.

His first two years with IU, Jackson-Davis averaged 16.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.6 blocks and shot 53.9 percent from the floor.

In his final two years, both with Mike Woodson, he saw those averages increase to 19.5 points. 9.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 2.6 blocks and shot 58.5 percent from the field.

So as he heads into year two with the Warriors, he is looking to take another jump. But before he does, he knows he’s already ahead of the game — because of Mike Woodson and his time at Indiana basketball.

“Oh absolutely,” Jackson-Davis said when asked if playing for Woodson expedited his NBA production. “Some of the coverages that we had (at Indiana) in our schemes. The plays that we ran are similar or the same that Golden State runs. Already having those defensive coverages, knowing what the calls are, that translated right away. And then just applying it on the floor, being in a new system, obviously they don’t run the same exact same system, but knowing the different tendencies that both of the coaches use was huge.”

Jackson-Davis, who had been practicing against the US Olympic team over the weekend with the USA Select Team, will return to Summer League action on Wednesday night.

SEE ALSO: ‘I’m excited about his potential and what he can become’: Successful rookie season for Trayce Jackson-Davis opens door to enhanced role in year two

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