Baylor Bears Senior Pierre Jackson Having a Special Final Act

Sometimes giving someone their just due goes unnoticed because of things slightly out of their control. A few years ago the Baylor Bears basketball program exploded on the scene. Between luring in NBA level players and possibly surpassing the Texas Longhorns as the best hoops program in the state, Baylor has had a lot to hang their hats on. Now this season might be a little big of a disappointment but that shouldn’t mean the play of senior guard Pierre Jackson should go unrecognized.

Jackson has only been with the program for two years, but in just that short time he has experienced both sides of basketball, good and the bad. Last season Jackson was apart of a team that made its way to the Elite Eight, an accomplishment to itself. The highs that must come from helping your team reach that level of success has to be other-worldly.

The 2012-13 version of the Bears might feel like a horrible twist of fate to Jackson, but it shouldn’t. While the team is certainly not, and not going to be, as successful as last year’s, Jackson has been doing great things on the court. Not only is he averaging five more points per game(18.4) but his assists have also gone up(6.3). Obviously, with all the talent gone, Jackson has been asked to pick-up his offensive output, yet he hasn’t gone all selfish-gunner on his squad either.

Nobody would blame him, considering the low expectations of the team, if Jackson came out this year looking to shine, even if it was to the detriment of his team. However, Jackson has consistently played a steady game even when his team has not. Jackson shoots less than 14 shots a game, when compared to players of his skill set, is much lower than you would expect.

I haven’t the slightest idea where Jackson belongs in Baylor lore. Only having played their two seasons, only one of which will be considered successful, Jackson’s play might get lost over time while he goes play pro ball overseas. But even if it is just this one article, I am sure there is/will be more, Jackson should get the respect his short career with the Bears deserves.

Oh, and he is a guard who wears the jersey number 55. For that alone he deserves massive props.

Joe is a Senior Writer for Rant Sports. For the love of Sam Cassell, follow Joe on the Twitter Machine @JosephNardone