Defend the Block: Jackson Credits Simpson, Patience, Determination for Improvement
6/23/2021 9:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball, Features
On this week's edition of the Defend the Block podcast, Zeb Jackson discusses his unique last two years, his strengths and weaknesses heading into next season, his acclimation to head coach Juwan Howard and the Michigan program, and the potential of next season's team. Also this week, we catch up with new men's basketball athletic trainer Chris Williams on his responsibilities with the team and his journey to Ann Arbor.
By Brian Boesch
At this time last year, one of the key storylines surrounding the University of Michigan men's basketball team was at the point guard position. Zavier Simpson's prestigious career ended abruptly a few months earlier, as the pandemic prompted the cancellation of the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments.
Simpson was the heartbeat of the program. His list of accomplishments was, and still is, remarkable -- 108 wins (tied with classmate Jon Teske for the most in program history), 146 games (a program record) and 667 assists (second to Gary Grant in program history), just to name a few. Yet, his presence and leadership around the team was even more palpable.
Incoming freshman Zeb Jackson was one of the candidates to claim some of the minutes Simpson vacated. Jackson and Simpson had been working out together since the former was in grade school, and they talked frequently about playing for Michigan and Jackson's transition to Ann Arbor.
"He kind of let me know what I was getting into and let me know that, in this situation, as long as I pay attention and learn as much as I can while I'm here, I'll be best prepared for when I get to the next level," Jackson said on this week's edition of the "Defend the Block" podcast.
As fans now know, graduate transfer Mike Smith was the Wolverines' primary point guard last season, with Jackson see-sawing in and out of the rotation. Jackson appeared in 16 games and played just 85 minutes, but he kept his head down and continued to work hard in practice.
That patience and dedication paid off for Jackson and the Wolverines in the NCAA Tournament opener against Texas Southern. As the Wolverines shuffled their rotation due to Isaiah Livers' injury, Jackson had a chance to make an impact, and he did just that. He drained a pair of huge three-pointers, as the Wolverines started to pull away from the Tigers en route to a 42-24 halftime lead.
Jackson still looks back on that game fondly, especially because of the support he felt from his teammates leading up to that opportunity on the big stage.
"They shared that positive energy with me. They kept telling me that my time would come," Jackson said. "I definitely have my plans to keep grinding and do what I need to do, but that support from them helped me push even more on days when I didn't maybe want to work out early in the morning or after practice."
Heading into his sophomore season, Jackson has the same approach, along with the same support. He also has a clear picture on necessary improvements to see the floor more often.
"Consistency, for sure," Jackson said. "There's days where I'll be really good, and then there's days where it's like, 'Zeb, what are you doing,' so getting more consistent with it is a big thing for me."
"Confidence is a big thing for me, that I feel like I could also work on a little bit," Jackson continued. "A lot of the skills that I have are what I need. It's just about me putting it together."
Simpson was a bench option as a freshman before bursting onto the scene as a sophomore. Michigan hopes that Jackson, like he has in many other ways, follows the footsteps of one of his mentors.
