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Two thousand points and 1,000 rebounds is a rare accomplishment for any college basketball player, but the pressure accompanying a career in Bloomington, Indiana makes it an even more unlikely accolade.

The former slow, uncoordinated middle schooler, Trayce Jackson-Davis was described as a "baby giraffe" by his former high school coach Zach Hahn. Former Indiana teammate Armaan Franklin would add, "he wasn't near the player he is now."

Eight years later, Jackson-Davis has navigated his Indiana team through a coaching change, a completely renovated roster, and a bevy of injuries during the 2022 season.

He lost good friends like Al Durham, the aforementioned Armaan Franklin, and Joey Brunk to the transfer portal, but he stayed loyal to Hoosier nation, he saw the same vision as new Indiana head coach Mike Woodson.

"As good of a basketball player as he is, he's a better human being," Center Grove head coach Zach Hahn told TheHoosier.com. "He made our program great, he didn't leave us when he could have went to a prep school, he didn't leave IU. He's a character guy, and he really represents each culture that he plays in."

This is what makes Jackson-Davis's flourishing in this Indiana system even more impressive. After former Indiana head coach Archie Miller's firing, he could've entered the portal and had his pick of the litter, eventually demanding a king's ransom in name, image and likeness payments. That's the new norm, it's basically a routine by now.

However, in all likelihood, Jackson-Davis probably went into his meeting with Woodson after his sophomore season knowing he wanted to stay in Bloomington.

It's who he is, and his goal since committing to Indiana has been the same.

"He's been a dominant player since he stepped foot on that campus," Armaan Franklin told TheHoosier.com.

The amount of growth since being a middle school player that caught Hahn's eye is truly admirable.

"That's why he has a great feel for the game, because he started off being a bad basketball player," Hahn said.

"He wasn't a kid that was in the spotlight in 7th, 8th, 9th, or 10th grade. He had to learn how to play slow and uncoordinated . . . as he got to his junior year when he finally developed, he had learned how to play as a slow player, as a guy that played below the rim. When the athleticism came, everything came really naturally to him around the basket. That's what makes him a great player now."

When he eventually developed, Jackson-Davis' future was apparent. The state of Indiana, and Hoosier fans specifically, took notice. They began to fill gyms all across Indianapolis. In one instance they showed up in droves to see him play his future teammate Armaan Franklin and the Cathedral Irish.

"That's kind of when I figured out he was special, playing against him," Franklin told TheHoosier.com. "You see the highlights and things like that, but actually going against him in high school was challenging."

"That was a tough game to prepare for. We didn't have anyone his size down there, and we knew what he could do offensively and how he can impact the game defensively."

The fans looking forward to a heavyweight showdown between two top recruits probably didn't expect Tayven Jackson, Trayce's younger brother, and new Indiana quarterback, to be the hero of the game hitting a late three to take the lead for the Trojans.

"That was pretty cool, for them," Franklin clarified.

Even then, Jackson-Davis wasn't playing with the same motor he has now. He wasn't playing as hard as the TJD that sees Indiana ranked in the AP Top 25 and trending as well as any other team in the nation.

“When he first started he didn’t play hard, he would play in spurts," Hahn said. "Then you’d look at the stats and he'd go for 20 and 15 . . . "

That's talent, which is expected from Jackson-Davis. The effort is what would turn him into the player he is today. Someone seen as an enigma by many NBA scouts, and a headache by most coaches in the Big Ten.

"He’s the best all-around player in the country because he plays hard every second he’s on the floor," Hahn said. "There’s something about being a senior and this being your last go around that has an impact on that.”

Some nine months later after Center Grove's narrow win over Cathedral, Franklin and Jackson-Davis would enroll at Indiana and begin a career that neither of them would foresee transpiring the way it has. COVID alone threw a wrench in their dreams of bringing Indiana basketball back to relevance, then the coaching change created a whole other obstacle.

Franklin would ultimately transfer to Virginia, and his time in Charlottesville since has affirmed his decision to transfer. The Cavaliers have consistently been among the top of college basketball and he has played a huge role in that continued success as a starter, averaging somewhere near 30 minutes a game.

However, Trayce's career since deciding to stay has been interesting. He's been the brunt of a lot of criticism but has also been credited as Indiana's best player during Mike Woodson's tenure at the helm of Indiana. The Hoosiers reached March Madness last season which was a surprise to many, and that momentum set up what would be the most expectation-rich season an Indiana team would face in quite a while.

As of February 2022, the Hoosiers have provided one of the most dynamic years you can possibly have. They've scraped what many would call rock bottom and reached what many would call their ceiling. However, for Jackson-Davis, his future is still in limbo.

Sure, he could win the Big Ten tournament and carry Indiana on a magical March Madness run. But after that, what will happen?

The jury is out, however many of those close to him, including Hahn and Franklin, believe an NBA general manager would be counted fortunate for taking a "chance" on the Hoosier legend.

"I don't know that I can predict he's going to be an NBA All-Star, but I do believe wherever he gets drafted he's going to have a long career in the NBA," Hahn said. "I've played against Eric Gordon, and Gordon Heyward was my teammate. There's no doubt in my mind that he fits the mold of being that caliber of a player . . . That's why NBA guys will love him, he's going to go there and be drama-free, he's going to play hard and everyone on the team is going to gravitate towards him because of his personality. I think that goes a long way in the NBA when you have a guy that represents your team and represents your organization in the right way."

"Just look at the numbers he's putting up now," Franklin said. "It's incredible. His motor, his ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor, rebounding, scoring, finishing, passing. He's a very good passer when he's double-teamed . . .

"Just let the stats speak for themselves. Whoever picks him is going to get a helluva player."

I asked Franklin if he could have ever pictured Jackson-Davis reaching the milestone of 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. His answer was simple.

"No," Franklin laughed. "I wouldn't have believed he was in school long enough to do it.

"I always thought he was leaving every single year. After freshman year I thought he was leaving, after sophomore year I thought he was leaving."

Jackson-Davis stayed, and Indiana counts itself lucky to be able to watch the Center Grove, Zach Hahn product wear a Hoosier uniform.

From being that scrawny, slow, uncoordinated eighth grader to earning multiple Big Ten player of the week awards, Jackson-Davis encapsulates everything an Indiana high school basketball product prospect is supposed to be.

They're supposed to go to Indiana. Not Purdue, Butler, Notre Dame, or Ball State. Zero offense to those schools, their head coaches or players, but Indiana basketball is Indiana basketball for a reason.

They're supposed to stay for as long as they can, and they're supposed to try their very best to honor their university, their coaches, their administration, and Assembly Hall itself.

What if I told you Trayce didn't return to Indiana because he caught COVID during the NBA combine? What if I told you he didn't come back because of the immense amount of incoming and returning talent?

What if I told you he came back to Indiana because he's a Hoosier, through and through?

What if I told you 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds is just the start?

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