Josh Jackson could see Michigan State coach Tom Izzo as a decent rapper. (Photo: Kelley L Cox – USA TODAY Sports)
PORTLAND, Ore. – Roughly a week ago, at the McDonald’s All American Game in Chicago, we detailed the fact that, despite his brazen, “win at all costs” mindset on the court, Josh Jackson is a saxophone and chess playing nice guy off the court; hardly the type to make it known that having to answer redundant recruiting questions over and over and over is, well, annoying.
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“Every reporter asks the same questions for the most part,” said Jackson, an American Family Insurance ALL-USA first teamer who will suit up for Team USA at the Nike Hoop Summit Saturday at 3 p.m. ET. “But it’s not just reporters, people ask me about it too. I probably get asked about 20 times a day. I mean, it’s cool; that all comes with it, but it does get old though.”
To that end, we decided to pose four questions about Jackson’s final three schools – Michigan State, Kansas and Arizona – that are so random and off the beaten path it’s a safe assumption that he has never heard them before.
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“Uh oh,” Jackson said with a laugh. “OK, let’s do it.”
1. You’re on a lifeboat in the middle of the ocean and you can only save one of the three head coaches on your list; who’s getting pulled in?
Josh Jackson: (Laughs) Oh man! That’s tough man… You know what, I’m probably gonna have to go ahead and put Sean Miller on the lifeboat. Sean’s my guy and, out of the three coaches, I’ve probably got the best relationship with him. He coached me with U19 USA Basketball and I think just having that experience with him is why. I can’t really say I have as close a relationship with the other two coaches, but I’m pretty sure they’re great people. For me, having this close relationship with Sean Miller; he would have to be the one to get saved.”
Josh Jackson said Kansas coach Bill Self is presidential. (Photo: USA Today)
2. Which coach would have the best chance to be President of the United States?
JJ: “Hmm, I think Bill Self. Just when I look at him sometimes he looks like a president. Also, the way he carries himself. He’s a winner; he’s won 12 straight Big 12 titles and we’ve got the best country in the world, so we’d need a winner.”
3. Which of the three head coaches would win a UFC tournament against each other?
JJ: (Laughs) Gotta say Tom Izzo there. Just watching his teams you can tell he teaches toughness. I’ve never seen his teams lose because of lack of toughness. Plus, I’ve never seen a coach be able to have the fear and respect of his players at the same time like Izzo.”
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4. If we had all three coaches kick a freestyle in the booth whose bars would be the hottest?
JJ: (Laughs) Oh man that would be hilarious! OK, I’d probably have to say Izzo because of the culture he’s around. I know he gets a lot of players from Detroit and hip hop is heavy there so I know he hears them rap sometimes. I rap a little sometimes myself; well, I try to.”
Follow Jason Jordan on Twitter: @JayJayUSATODAY
