Michigan State’s Jackson to leave early for NBA
Jaren Jackson, the Big Ten defensive player of the year as a freshman for Michigan State, is leaving early for the NBA.
“Spartans, this was not an automatic decision,” he tweeted Monday. “And honestly, thank you for making it one of the toughest decisions I’ve ever had to think about. While playing in the NBA was always my dream and desire, I did not know the opportunity would present itself in quite this way. I’m ready to live my dreams and I cannot pass it up.”
Jackson was also the Big Ten freshman of the year, joining former Ohio State star Greg Oden as the only players in conference history to pull off the feat. Coach Tom Izzo expected Jackson to be a one-and-done player.
“It was a difficult decision for him, which is kind of neat,” Izzo told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. “He made the right decision, no doubt, because he’s just going to be too high of a pick. The more I’m hearing, he could go three or four (overall) and the ceiling seems to be five.”
The 6-foot-11, 242-pound Jackson blocked 106 shots, a single-season record for a Spartan, and swatted a Big Ten-best 3.03 shots per game. The forward averaged 10.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and made nearly 40 percent of the 96 3-pointers he attempted. His father, Jaren, played for the NBA champion San Antonio Spurs and had a 431-game career with many teams. His mother, Terri, is the director of operations for the Women’s National Basketball Players Association.
Jackson was a key player for a team that won 30 games and the Big Ten title in the regular season. He was very productive despite being limited to an average of 22 minutes a game. CARR LEAVING PENN ST. >> Less than a week after helping Penn State win the NIT, Tony Carr is giving up his last two years of college eligibility and declaring for the NBA draft. He said he plans to hire an agent.
Carr led Penn State with averages of 19.6 points and 5.0 assists this season, earning All-Big Ten first-team honors.
STANFORD LOSING TWO >> Point guard Robert Cartwright decided not to return for his final year of eligibility in 2018-19, and Cameron Walker will remain a student at Stanford, but will not be an active member of the men’s basketball program in 2018-19 due to NCAA medical disqualification, the school said.
Cartwright played in 27 games last season, and was second on the team in assists. He averaged 4.7 points and 1.6 rebounds in 17.9 minutes per game. Walker did not play last season. CLEMSON’S GUARDS TO ENTER DRAFT >> Clemson’s backcourt of Marcquise Reed and Shelton Mitchell decided to enter the NBA draft.
Tigers coach Brad Brownell said neither player would hire an agent.
Reed was Clemson’s leading scorer this season at 15.8 points a game. Mitchell averaged 12.2 points a game and led the Tigers with 119 assists this season.
Brownell said this was the next step for Reed and Mitchell as they pursue goals of playing in the NBA.
Reed and Mitchell helped Clemson go 25-10 and win a program-record 11 games in Atlantic Coast Conference competition. MIAMI’S HUELL DECLARES FOR DRAFT >> Miami Hurricanes sophomore forward Dewan Huell decided to declare for the NBA draft but won’t retain an agent.
The 6-foot-11 Huell averaged 11.4 points and 6.6 rebounds this season and started all 32 games. The Hurricanes (22-20) lost to Loyola of Chicago in the first round of the NCAA tourney. SAN DIEGO PROMOTES SCHOLL >> The University of San Diego dropped the interim tag for Coach Sam Scholl after he guided the team in the postseason.