Indiana Basketball has a problem with its best player.
Trayce Jackson-Davis is a phenomenal young player who was a joy to watch as a freshman. The former top-30 recruit from Greenwood, Indiana, averaged 13.5 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game and was just barely edged out for Big Ten Freshman of the Year by Illinois’ Kofi Cockburn.
Despite his own personal successes, there is still room for improvement. However, this improvement has nothing to do with Jackson-Davis — it is in the hands of the coaching staff.
Archie Miller played a lineup featuring two low post centers — Jackson-Davis and Joey Brunk — every game last season. Miller isn’t doing Jackson-Davis any favors by playing him as a power forward.
Jackson-Davis played his whole first season completely out of position and was still able to thrive, a remarkable feat. With the current state of the NBA, the young big man has a 0% chance of playing power forward in the NBA. He’ll have to make it as a center. Miller is tremendously hindering his best player’s chances of making it to the NBA by using him in this manner.
The Hoosiers’ lineup last season was a talented one, but the fit was horrible. Miller played Justin Smith, Jackson-Davis, and Brunk together, leaving Rob Phinisee and Al Durham as the only threats from outside. This is far too great of a responsibility for the two guards to shoulder.
The lack of shooting allows for defenders to help in the low post with little consequence, making it hard for the two big guys to have any space to operate.
A simple way to fix this is by abandoning the ancient double low post approach and starting Jackson-Davis at center. In 1990, Jackson-Davis would be a bruising, rebounding power forward just like his father, Dale Davis. In 2020, however, the 6’9” sophomore is unquestionably a center.
Putting Jackson-Davis as the lone big man would open up the offense so much more. It would allow for better spacing and more shooting. It would open up for the lane for Miller’s pick-and-roll reliant offense.
Indiana’s offense has to get out of the doldrums in order to have meaningful success. The frustrating thing is that the talent to do this is already present on the roster; it just isn’t being properly utilized. The first step in the right direction is to play Jackson-Davis at center and surround him with shooters. Nothing would improve the Hoosiers than this simple adjustment.