It took a convoluted series of events for the NBA D-League's new No. 1 Prospect, Pierre Jackson, to land with the Idaho Stampede. The talent-sapped Sixers drafted him out of Baylor with the 42nd overall pick in June...only to trade his rights to the guard-heavy New Orleans Pelicans. New Orleans gave him a spot on its Summer League roster, but the two sides never agreed on a contract. He signed with a French pro team, ASVEL Basket, then left the team because he was feeling homesick, according to its coach. Yet, after all the confusion about where Jackson would call home during his first year out of school, he's found the perfect one, just a two-hour drive from the College of Southern Idaho, where he played his first two collegiate seasons, and not too far from Las Vegas, where he grew up. And all parties involved -- the Pelicans, who still exclusively own his rights; the Stampede, who have won eight of their first nine games; Jackson himself, who's leading the NBA D-League in scoring at 30.9 points per game; and maybe above all, the NBA D-League's fans, who get to witness The Pierre Jackson Show each week -- should be thankful for how things turned out. Here are the three biggest reasons why the 5-11 guard and the juggernaut Stampede have been an ideal fit: He's been handed the keys to the offense. Jackson has used 32.1 percent of Idaho's possessions, per NBADLeague.com/Stats. In terms of his role on his team, think of him as the minor-league Russell Westbrook, who leads NBA guards with a 32.3 percent usage rate. Jackson specializes in using ball screens and creating off the dribble, and that's exactly what Coach Michael Peck has allowed him to do, over and over and over. He's been let off the proverbial leash. Given his size, quickness and hops, it's easy to see why Jackson has been most often compared to Nate Robinson. But the similarities don't stop there. Like Nate, Jackson also needs to be free to freewheel in order to maximize his talents, and the NBA D-League is the place for that. He's surrounded by talent. While Rio Grande Valley has rightfully stolen its thunder because of their record winning streak and unique style of play, the Stampede has actually been more dominant than the Vipers. Their 15.1 Net Rating (point differential per 100 possessions) is the top mark in the league, well ahead of RGV's 11.1 because they play great defense to match their offense. More from NBADLeague.com's Brian Kotloff Prospect Report C.J. Leslie, Erie BayHawks -- Leslie never quite lived up to his advance billing -- McDonald's All-American and Top-15 national recruit -- at N.C. State, though he still became a productive player in the ultra competitive ACC. That he went undrafted in 2013 was a major surpise, given his athletic profile and production at the collegiate level. Said a scout of Leslie prior to the Draft: "When he uses his quickness and athletic ability around the basket, Leslie looks like a sure-fire NBA player. He doesn't fit perfectly into either forward job description, but with his height and activity he is tough to stop around the rim. He has enough athletic ability and size to play in the NBA. Now the question is whether he is savvy enough to gravitate to his strengths -- quickness, leaping ability, lateral movement -- and provide those on a consistent basis to help his team win." The New York Knicks snapped up Leslie quickly after his draft-night snub, and he was with them through the summer and training camp before being waived and picked up by Erie. Through seven games, Leslie is averaging 14.9 points and 5.7 rebounds, while shooting 51 percent from the floor. NEWS & NOTES CBS Sports Network Announces 2013-14 NBA D-League Schedule CBS Sports Network returns to the hardwood for its second season of NBA Development League coverage with a slate of up to 21 games, including 10 regular season games, two games from the NBA D-League Showcase, postseason action, and exclusive coverage of the NBA D-League Finals. The Network also airs NBA ACTION, a weekly show providing an inside look at the NBA's top players and storylines every Friday at 5:30 p.m. ET. The schedule tips off on Sunday, Jan. 5, when the Philadelphia 76ers-owned Delaware 87ers visit the Reno Bighorns, the single affiliate of the Sacramento Kings (5:30 p.m. ET) in a 2014 NBA D-League Showcase game. AROUND THE D-LEAGUE The Erie BayHawks have added forward Alex Oriakhi to their active roster from the NBA Development League free agent pool. Oriakhi (6-9, 255, Missouri) was a second-round selection of the Phoenix Suns in the 2013 NBA Draft. Following his release from Phoenix, he signed to play professionally in France. In eight appearances, he averaged 4.0 points and 3.1 rebounds with two different teams. A native of Lowell, Mass., Oriakhi originally began his collegiate career at the University of Connecticut before transferring to Missouri. As a sophomore at UConn, Oriakhi helped guide his team to the 2011 NCAA National Championship. During his four-year collegiate career, he averaged 8.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks. He will wear number 42 and is expected to be in uniform when Erie hosts tonight. Press release from the NBA Development League
So Lucky Pierre will eventually become a Blazer? Lucky Blazers! After Olshey traded away most of the next decade's 2nd-round picks this summer, we need every #2 we can get.
