BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Overall it was a good day to be a fan of the Indiana Hoosiers, with two players selected in the 2023 NBA Draft in Jalen Hood-Schifino, who went No. 17 overall to the Los Angeles Lakers, and Trayce Jackson-Davis, who went No. 57 to the Golden State Warriors.
Two Hoosiers joining playoff teams with playing time available in year one might seem ideal, but for Jackson-Davis the slide from potential first round pick all the way until the second to last pick in the draft is not something he will be forgetting anytime soon - and he let people know how he felt on social media during the draft, tweeting "Y'all will regret it... I promise you".
Locked on Hoosiers host Jacob Rude did not hide his feelings about TJD's abrupt slide on his latest episode.
"Incomprehensible what NBA GMs were doing and why they were passing on Trayce," Rude said. "It's a new, modern mindset that Trayce isn't a three point shooter so he's not worth the pick, I think IU fans can attest to the fact that's not the case."
Jackson-Davis spent four years in an Indiana uniform and attempted just three three pointers, making zero, but Rude argues his lack of three point shooting should not have led to his fall - especially when considering the other intangibles he provides at the NBA level from day one.
"Trayce is an athletic big man who can dunk and block," Rude continued. "He also has an incredible passing game...it really isn't that difficult. I don't know what NBA GMs are doing sometimes."
Jackson-Davis averaged 18 or more points in three of his four college seasons, resulting in a dominant senior season where the All-American averaged 20.9 points, 10.8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2.9 blocks while shooting 58.1% from the field.
He'll join a Warriors team that also added former Illinois and Santa Clara guard Brandin Podziemski in the first round, and has three Hall of Fame guards on the roster in Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and the recently acquired Chris Paul.
Jackson-Davis will have a chance to prove other NBA teams wrong in the summer league and into the regular season, where he could find backup center minutes right away for Golden State.