Commitment Analysis: Jacobi Gordon

The first 2018 commit of the Wyking Jones era at Cal was Jacobi Gordon, a 4-star wing out of Fallbrook Prep in Houston, TX. Below is a breakdown of his game and what Cal can expect him to bring to the table.

Listed at 6’7”, 180 pounds, Gordon has good size for a wing. He has good athleticism and length, which he uses to his advantage. Probably the thing that stands out the most about Gordon’s game is how creative he is around the basket in terms of his finishing ability. While he is a good athlete, he isn’t as explosive of an athlete as other players.

As a result, he’s learned to become a very creative finisher. He does a good job of contorting his body around defenders, finding a way to get the basket. He has no problem finishing through contact and does well to get to the foul line.

In addition to being able to finish well around the basket, Gordon can score from the mid-range and from three-point range. He has good form on his shot and has no problem taking and knocking down the open three. He has good instincts on offense and has a good feel for the game. He knows when to attack, when to spot up and shoot, and when to find the open teammate.

Defensively, Gordon uses his size and length to his advantage. He can bother small forwards and shooting guards with ease and knows how to disrupt passing lanes. He has a high motor and hustles, which are the key ingredients for a good defender. His length will be a key, as Gordon anticipates being used as a 2 or 3 in a trapping system.

The areas of his game that he needs the most work on are his athleticism and also his off hand. If he could improve his vertical leap and also get stronger, that would allow him to finish with more force inside and not have to rely on his creativity as much. Gordon finishes almost exclusively which his right hand. Sometimes, he gets too creative in terms of finding ways to still finish with his right hand. In getting more comfortable finishing with his left hand, he could become a more efficient and versatile finisher around the basket.

National Rivals Analysts Corey Evans and Eric Bossi were able to weigh in on what they think Gordon will bring to the Cal program:

“Jacobi Gordon is a skilled slasher that can really score the ball off of his own creating skills. He brings great size, athleticism and toughness along with good defensive versatility to the floor. Gordon does not lack for talent as he should be a perfect small forward prospect that could come to excel at Cal early on.”-Evans

"Gordon is a good athlete who plays a crafty game around the rim and has some toughness about him. I think he fits the trend in college to move towards positionless players and I can see him playing on both the wing and as a mismatch four man. To truly unlock his potential I think he'll have to improve a bit as a jump shooter but he's a good rebounder, solid defender, and should arrive on campus physically ready to play in the Pac-12." -Bossi

Jacobi Gordon should be able to get a lot of minutes right away and possibly start at the small forward position in his freshman year. He has all the tools to be an immediate impact player in the Pac-12. If he is able to improve his athleticism and ability to finish with his off hand, he’ll come to Cal even better than what he already is.