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Demetrius Jackson Shows Athleticism at Pre-Draft Workout

Demetrius Jackson's rise at Notre Dame was steady, but his arrival as an NBA-quality prospect came with an exclamation point at this month's Draft Combine in Chicago. The 21-year-old guard registered a 43.5-inch maximum vertical leap, the second-highest at the combine.

Combined with an NBA-ready physique and well-rounded perimeter game, Jackson is one of several intriguing options for the Suns, who have three first-round picks in this summer's draft.

"His speed, his burst, getting past the screen and getting around the corner on the pick-and-roll is where he shows [his athleticism]," said Phoenix's assistant general manager, Pat Connelly. "Defensively, he’s pretty good moving his feet as well."

Jackson's quickness is unquestioned, leaving other facets of his game to be proven in workouts. After shooting better than 40 percent from three in his first two seasons with the Fighting Irish, he connected on just 33.1 percent from distance in his junior year, though part of that drop could be due to becoming a focal point of opponents' defensive schemes.

He is also eager to prove his passing instincts. At 6-2, he has intriguing size for a point guard, and his 4.7 assists per game last year show more than a hint of playmaking potential.

"I love to pass the ball," Jackson said. "Ever since I started to play basketball, I always loved to get people involved and really create…I just try to be a complete player."

A Common Suns Connection

One sure-fire conclusion from Monday's workout: Alan Williams knows people. The Suns' 6-9 forward, who signed a multi-year contract with the team toward the end of last season, personally knew two of the prospects that were in town.

Pepperdine product Stacy Davis grew up in Arizona, attending Laveen Betty Fairfax High School before playing his college ball with the Waves. Davis and Williams were AAU teammates as teenagers, and the former took notice of the latter's fight to carve out an NBA roster spot for himself.

"To watch the steps that he's taken to get to where he's at is very inspiring," Davis said. "I've [told] him every now and then, 'You're definitely a motivation to all the kids that are coming from Arizona.' He's definitely a motivation for me."

Williams also shares a relationship with 6-4 guard Michael Bryson. The two were teammates at UC Santa Barbara, where Williams set a school record for rebounding and is the program's second all-time leading scorer.