Why On3 is Higher than the Industry on Four-Star Creighton Signee Jackson McAndrew

Recent Creighton signee Jackson McAndrew is an interesting prospect. Here at On3, we are higher than the industry on the 6-foot-9, 190-pound forward from Plymouth (MN) Wayzata High ranking him the No. 22 overall player in the 2024 On3 150.

On3 leaves nothing to question when we talk about the objective of our rankings. The goal of our rankings is to assess a prospect’s long-term potential, ultimately manifested by the NBA Draft. Our ranking is not to assess who had the best high school career or who will be the best college player. This is why we will shoot to end each cycle with 14 five-star prospects following the lead of the NBA Draft Lottery. This can be different from others, but our vision with rankings is draft night.

On3 has McAndrew ranked No. 22. He is No. 41 for ESPN, No. 35 for Rivals, and No. 26 for 247 Sports. McAndrew is the No. 35 player in the 2024 On3 Industry Ranking. Criteria can be different across the industry when it comes to players and the order they are ranked. So let’s break down why On3 is higher on Jackson McAndrew than the industry.

McAndrew’s Shooting Carries the Day

Shooting is incredibly important in basketball today. So much so the question of shooting runs deeper than Can you shoot? The mechanics of the shot are great, but the footwork and balance of the shot can be equally important. How are you making the shots you are making? Are they standstill, are you stepping into them, are you creating the space, catch and shoot off movement; there are many ways to knock down shots in a basketball game. 

Jackson McAndrew proved during the summer that he was one of the most lethal shooters in the 2024 recruiting class. That starts with his size and length. McAndrew is listed at 6-foot-9 and has a reported 7-foot-3 wing span. Even if guarded closely, McAndrew is able to shoot over a lot of defenders at this level.

The intriguing part of McAndrew’s shooting, and this gets back to the question of how he makes his shots, is that he is very comfortable shooting off movement or off the catch. This summer, playing with the Howard Pulley program on Nike’s EYCL Circuit, McAndrew shot 39.7 percent from three on 209 attempts. Overall, through his 23 games, he averaged 16.8 points and scored 1.078 points per possession with Howard Pulley this summer. 

McAndrew is comfortable handling the ball and getting into his shot. He plays with a balanced base. His head is up off the bounce and he can rise up quickly if the defender is off-balance. He is also comfortable shooting off movement. He uses natural footwork as he comes off hard cuts or screens beyond the arc. McAndrew cuts with a purpose, but he also does so with a steadiness to step into the load of his jump shot. 

McAndrew shot a reported 53.6 percent from three last high school season. He led his Wayzata team in scoring at 16.7 per game as they won a Minnesota 4A state championship.

McAndrew’s Frame and Functional Athleticism

I mentioned it above, but let’s start with the frame. Jackson McAndrew is listed at 6-foot-9 and he has a reported 7-foot-3 wing span. That size is more than adequate for a forward at the highest levels, especially one who is a shooter like McAndrew. 

McAndrew is thin, and as he gets to Creighton, that is one piece that he will need to focus on. Not only adding weight but adding functional strength. With that, he should become a sturdier finisher around the basket, playing through contact. He should also become more athletic, both laterally and vertically. 

However, even needing the weight, McAndrew uses his length well. He is not afraid to mix it up on the boards, and he has very good timing on the defensive end, with rotations, in the passing lanes, and even coming from the weak side and effecting shots. 

McAndrew is a solid vertical athlete, but he has very good hand-eye coordination and very fluid athleticism. He is able to turn his hips and quickly change direction, which helps him on both ends of the floor. Offensively, he is able to cut and rise up quickly. Defensively, he can slide his feet and switch. 

A lot of times, bigger players are stiffer in their movements. This caps a player’s upside because of how they move. With basketball being such a free-flowing game, with a lot of moving and switching, a player who is stiffer athletically, will have limitations. A player with more fluid athleticism, with a looseness in their frame, can have a higher ceiling to grow into. 

How quickly McAndrew can add adequate weight will go a long way with how quickly McAndrew moves from level to level. The measurables of his frame are very intriguing, which adds to the shooting capabilities. But how fluid he is athletically, adds to the intrigue of his upside as well. 

Outside of Shooting

While the shooting is Jackson McAndrew’s superpower, his game is more well-rounded than just the shot-making. For starters, he has some toughness to him. McAndrew uses his size and length to get on the boards and rebound in traffic. Even playing from a perimeter position, McAndrew is a good area rebounder, bringing down 6.1 boards per contest throughout EYCL games. 

McAndrew also has timing and instincts as a shot blocker. While he would not be considered a rim protector, he does understand rotations and will use his length when coming from the weak side to affect and deflect plays around the basket. His feet can get a little heavy when guarding purely on the perimeter. It will be interesting to see how (if) things change as he continues to add weight. 

On the offensive end, McAndrew is comfortable handling the ball in the open floor. He can push the break to get into the offense, and he is ok in the half-court, creating space to get into his jumper. He will need to continue tightening his handle to become a more dynamic ball-handler in the half-court. While he can create an advantage for himself, he does not do the same off the bounce for teammates just yet. What I mean by this is that he can use his dribble to get to his spots in the half-court, but he does not blow past defenders to collapse a defense or get into the paint and spray passes to teammates.

He processes the game well and does not dominate the ball. McAndrew can also use his dribble to attack a sloppy closeout and get to the rim. 

Projecting Jackson McAndrew Moving Forward

As I mentioned above, On3’s rankings look toward the NBA Draft. Realistically, out of each high school class, about 20 to 30 players will end up playing in the league, in some capacity. Sometimes there might be less, but rarely will that number reach, or go above 30. 

Jackson McAndrew is ranked No. 22 in the 2024 On3 150. You look at his size, frame, and length, and you see that 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-3 wing span is more than adequate for a forward at this highest levels. Especially, a forward at that size who is a consistent 40-plus percent three-point shooter. 

As McAndrew continues to grow his game, he will need to add functional strength and tighten his handle. His ability to shoot from deep range, and his comfort in knocking down shots off the bounce, the catch, or movement, will play well as he continues forward. It gives him somewhat of a high floor as a prospect. 

His fluid athleticism also expands his ceiling as a prospect. He will need to continue working on his burst. There are a number of possible archetype outcomes for McAndrew as he grows his game. However, with the baseline as a 6-foot-9 versatile shooter, he is at a relatively favorable starting point.