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Gold and Black Illustrated, Vol 26, Digital 3

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GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 26, ISSUE 3 29 Jackson Jr. of Indianapolis and Ma- lik Williams of Fort Wayne, each of them ranked among the top big men in their class. Purdue ranks among the early front-runners for both Rivals.com four-star prospects and should be a legitimate player in the recruitment of both. The competition will be fierce, though. In addition to Purdue, Jackson holds offers from Michigan State, Indiana, Butler, Maryland and Georgetown, where his father, Jaren Jackson Sr., starred in college before enjoying a long NBA career. Those are options, among many others. Williams was offered first by Indi- ana before Purdue, Xavier, Michigan State, Cincinnati and Iowa, and a host of others, joined in. Though Purdue is targeting both as utmost priorities, neither fits the mold of what the Boilermakers have now, neither being anywhere near as big or physical as Hammons, Haas or Swanigan. Jackson and Williams are much more JaJuan Johnson than they are Isaac Haas, both of them long, tall, athletic and atypically mobile for their height. Both are probably more comfort- able facing the basket offensively at this stage of their careers than they are backing up to it. In fact, Jackson is drawing some interest as a col- lege small forward and Williams on occasion will play like a guard for his high school. Both can shoot jump shots, Jackson in particular possess- ing range out to the three-point line. In Jackson's case, that versatility is a product of his upbringing. "My dad works me out in all ar- eas," he said. "He makes sure that when we get in the gym we do every single drill he can think of, guard drills and big (man) drills. You have to be able to not just be a big or a guard but just a basketball player." Defensively, both are shot-block- ing presences at the high school level, especially Jackson, but their defensive potential lies just as much in their ability to move their feet and guard on the perimeter, a qual- ity man-to-man defensive programs like Purdue should covet. In Williams' case, that defensive potential would seem most signifi- cant. His frame is more narrow and he plays up-right sometimes, but he runs the floor fluidly and moves lat- erally extremely well. Comparisons can be made to for- mer Kentucky big man Willie Cau- ley-Stein with the way Williams moves at this stage of his develop- ment. "It was just the workouts I did when I was younger," Williams said. Brian Neubert Park Tudor's Jaren Jackson Jr. believes he'll be able to play any frontcourt position at the college level.

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