Jaren Jackson Jr. Declares for 2018 NBA Draft After 1 Season at Michigan State

Michigan State big man Jaren Jackson Jr. is headed to the Association.

Jackson announced Monday that he will declare for the 2018 NBA draft following a standout freshman season with the Spartans:

Jackson arrived in East Lansing, Michigan, as a prized 5-star recruit and one of the nation's most tantalizing talents, according to 247Sports, and he instantly lived up to his potential as an archetypal modern-day 4-5 hybrid. 

Over the course of 35 games, including 34 starts, the 6'11'', 242-pound forward averaged 10.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.0 blocks while shooting 51.3 percent from the field and a stellar 39.6 percent from three on 96 total attempts from distance. 

What a shot by Jaren Jackson

Given that versatile skill set, it's no wonder Jackson drew a Serge Ibaka comparison from Bleacher Report draft expert Jonathan Wasserman. 

Jackson's still not much in the way of a mid-range scorer—he shot 40.6 percent on all two-point jumpers, per Hoop-Math.com—but based on his ability to erase shots at the rim, score out of the post and face up from above the break, the 18-year-old looks like the kind of player who can anchor an NBA frontcourt in due time. 

As a result, he should be in the mix to be a top-five pick when June rolls around.