KU’s Josh Jackson has starred in Vegas as part of summer AAU circuit

Kansas freshman Josh Jackson is returning to Las Vegas, site of several of his show-stopping performances on the summertime AAU basketball circuit.

“I’ve been to Vegas plenty of times. I think my favorite (trip) was my junior year we won the Fab 48 for the first time. I’d been playing in that tournament since I was in eighth grade and never won it, so it was really good to finally win one,” said Jackson, a 6-foot-8, 207-pound guard from Detroit.

As star of Michigan’s 1Nation Elite program, Jackson scored 22 points and had several key rebounds and blocks in the closing minutes of a 56-49 victory over BTI Select in the 17 and under Fab 48 finals on July 27, 2015.

Now a year and a half later, he is slated to start his 12th college game when No. 3-ranked (10-1) KU takes on (7-5) UNLV on Thursday at Thomas & Mack Center.

Jackson has been pleased with the nonconference portion of what figures to be his only season of college basketball. The UNLV game precedes the opening of Big 12 Conference play on Dec. 30 at TCU. After eight league games are contested, KU will meet Kentucky in a final nonconference clash on Jan 28 in Lexington, Ky.

“Of course I feel I can play a little better here and there. Overall I think I’ve been doing pretty well,” Jackson said. “I’m pretty happy with my play and my teammates’ play.

“I think my job for the team is pretty easy. I think just being able to know what I have to do in order for my team to be successful game in and game out, which is rebounding, playing defense and always bringing energy. I feel if I always do those things, I’ll be fine.”

KU coach Bill Self has been pleased with Jackson’s play in the Jayhawks’ four-guard lineup.

“I may be nuts … if you are averaging 15 and 6 and are probably the best passer on the team, you should be pretty happy with that. I still think he can do a lot more. I really do,” Self said.

Jackson said he feels more comfortable with the older players on the team than he did when he first arrived on campus in June.

“I’ve never been on a team this talented before in my life,” Jackson said. “It was kind of an adjustment for me when I first got here. The thing (Self) really helped me out with, the thing he told me, was to be myself and play my game. Sometimes from the first time I got here, I was holding back a little bit because I knew I was playing with more talented guys. He doesn’t want me to do that. He wants me to be who I am.”

Self says it’s only natural it took Jackson a few weeks to adjust to new teammates and surroundings.

“It sounds all fine and dandy to come in here and (say), ‘Hey I’m going to be aggressive and I’m going to be all this.’ You’ve got some older guys saying, ‘Listen here young fella, this is my show not yours yet.’ We don’t have that, but there’s been times even though those words aren’t spoken they are somehow put in kids’ minds and they defer too much. Josh probably has deferred a little bit, not a lot.”

This story was originally published December 20, 2016 at 7:06 PM with the headline "KU’s Josh Jackson has starred in Vegas as part of summer AAU circuit."