EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Jaren Jackson Jr. is ready with an excuse.
Nick Ward had just told the story of Jackson's first practice at Michigan State, how Ward went at the freshman big man with a couple of elbows, testing him early.
"I wanted to see how tough he is," Ward told ESPN.
Jackson admits Ward even blocked his first shot that day -- but there's a few reasons for it. One, it was his first practice. Two, he had been driving for 10 hours before the practice, then he pulled up at the facility and went to practice.