After being recognized as a consensus All-American during his senior season at Indiana, Trayce Jackson-Davis couldn’t understand why he kept falling down the boards on Day 2 of the NBA Draft.
Finally, at pick No. 57 overall, the Warriors selected Jackson-Davis. Shortly after, the 22-year-old sent out a message for the league’s 29 other teams: You’re gonna regret it.
Jackson-Davis joined 95.7 The Game’s “Steiny & Guru” Friday while in Las Vegas for the team’s Summer League action. TJD admitted that he has a point to prove as a rookie in 2023-24.
“Absolutely,” Jackson-Davis told Evan Giddings (filling in for Matt Steinmetz) and Daryle ‘The Guru’ Johnson. “I do have a chip on my shoulder. Obviously, during draft night it was hard. It was hard watching that and I didn’t really know what was going on. My agent was trying to explain it to me, but I was getting in my own head. …
“I just felt a little discouraged because a lot of the teams I worked out for were saying the same thing, that they wanted here, here and here. It just didn’t happen. Honestly was, like, ‘OK, if that’s how y'all wanna treat me, then I’m gonna show you and prove to you why I’m better than the 57th pick.’”
Jackson-Davis said the Warriors showed early interest in the process and made him feel desired, hearing later that the franchise was trying to move up in the second round before he landed at No. 57.
“They were a huge fit,” Jackson-Davis said. “They were probably the first or second team that I wanted to play for. They were my first workout actually. I had a really good workout and they were one of the teams that – I don’t wanna say recruiting – but came and saw me. They came and saw me work out in LA and I did an interview with them in Chicago. They were a team that was very invested in what I was doing.”
In his Summer League debut Thursday, after dealing with a hamstring injury, the 6-foot-9 Jackson-Davis executed a nice pick-and-roll with first-rounder Brandin Podziemski that led to an easy dunk. The Warriors lack above the rim threats beyond Jonathan Kuminga or down-low big men beyond Kevon Looney and Jackson-Davis thinks he can help in both of those areas.
“Just getting out there and trying to set up guys but being able to be a lob threat, a rim threat and put pressure on the rim,” Jackson-Davis said. “Obviously, we’ve got the greatest shooters in basketball and just doing my part in that is gonna be great. I think I’m gonna help out.”
Jackson-Davis is the son of 15-year NBA veteran Dale Davis, another big man who liked to throw his weight around the floor, though he was raised by his stepfather Ray Jackson.
Jackson-Davis said he considered leaving Indiana after his impressive freshman season in 2019-20 but the pandemic changed his plans. He showed faith in new Hoosiers coach and former NBA coach Mike Woodson entering his junior season and tested positive for COVID in 2022, so decided to hold off his departure for one more season.
As a senior, Jackson-Davis averaged 20.9 points, 10.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.9 blocks per game, leaving as the storied program’s all-time leader in rebounds and blocked shots.
“Just listening to coach Woody and watching film, I think, paid dividends,” Jackson-Davis said. “I got into the position that I’m in and I’m blessed to be here.”
