If Detroit Tigers outfielder Austin Jackson didn't go pro in baseball, he very well might have flirted with the NBA.
The 6-foot-1 Jackson averaged 22.5 points, five rebounds and three assists per game as a junior in high school and was considered to be one of the top point guards in the country. He committed to play baseball and basketball at Georgia Tech, but an enormous signing bonus from the Yankees swayed him toward the diamond.
Jackson still maintains a stellar leaping ability, as Tigers fans have witnessed over the years with catches like this one:
The 26-year-old Jackson's strong defense earned him the Tigers' defensive player of the year award for 2013.
Jackson's Detroit teammate, Torii Hunter, recently posted a video of Jackson soaring for an easy slam dunk.
Hunter added this caption:
It's Austin Jackson the Tigers Centerfielder. I did this when I was younger but there was no video or cell phones then. #straightathlete #madhops #nohomerunsaresafe
Jackson's head is almost at the rim, which is pretty impressive for someone who's 6-foot-1 and never played basketball outside of high school.
