OKC Thunder: The Breakfast Club step into the spotlight

OKC Thunder: Justin Jackson

Jackson is a dynamo for the OKC Thunder.

The 25-year-old is averaging 8.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists through 18.6 minutes per game. He is a legit scorer and has recently shown that he relishes pressure moments where he can make massive shots to win games.

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As the 15th pick in the 2017 draft, he played for the Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks before making a stop in OKC. You just get the feeling that his time in Oklahoma might be the best years of his career.

Like Williams, he is playing close to home where he’s from in Houston, Texas. As a child, his family moved around a lot including coming to Oklahoma and going to Ohio. He grew up with his younger brother and two younger sisters.

There’s no doubt that Jackson is a winner, having won ACC Player of the year while playing for the University of North Carolina in 2017. The same year, he won a national title with the Tar Heels.

You could say that the path Jackson took to get there was unconventional as he was recruited from home school which he did due to his family constantly moving for his father’s job. He played for the Homeschool Christian Youth Association in Houston.

Despite his many talents, you could argue that Jackson is an underrated player who is going to continue to thrive in the Thunder environment.

Before I even knew much about the NBA, I read a letter Jackson wrote for The Players Tribune in his final year at North Carolina. And I urge you to go and read it too!

It was a touching and eloquent glimpse into his world and what it meant to him being a student at North Carolina. I was instantly inspired by his openness about his faith and family which is a testament to his character.

There’s so much more to share about these players and the epic work they are also doing in the community. But for now, it’s awesome to look back at how their past experiences have contributed to their star rising with the Thunder.

I want to leave you with a quote that I’ll always remember. Even though he’s not with OKC anymore, this timeless quote from Chris Paul in last year’s playoffs encapsulates the Thunder so well.

“As far as our team, this is who we are…we’re built for stuff like this. A lot of guys on our team have been pushed out, traded, or whatnot but we just stick together and we keep fighting!”