Jackson solid with Patroons
Providence alum didn’t play for almost 3 years because of pandemic
Isaiah Jackson didn’t expect much when he reported to Albany Patroons training camp in February.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, he hadn’t played professionally since wrapping up his college career at Providence in 2019. He also wasn’t certain of the quality of The Basketball League.
He said he’s been pleasantly surprised.
“It’s a lot better than I honestly expected,” Jackson said. “I didn’t come here with high expectations of anything. I just wanted to come here and see it for myself and get myself accustomed to playing professional basketball in general. Like I didn’t know where I’d be at, I didn’t know how the league would be. But the league is actually a lot better than I expected. I see it’s growing and my teammates are actually really talented.”
That includes Jackson, a 6-foot-7 combination forward who has shown little rust after his long layoff. He was averaging 17.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game entering Thursday night, when the Patroons (13-2) crushed the Connecticut Cobras 147-103 before 703 fans at Washington Avenue Armory. He also ranked fourth in the TBL in 3-point shooting at 46.8 percent.
Jackson had 14 points and 10 rebounds on Thursday, one of nine Albany players to score in double figures.
Patroons coach Will Brown praised Jackson’s consistency and teachability but added he’s capable of much more.
“He’s been terrific,” Brown said. “He’s shot it at such a high rate and
high level. What I’ve tried to get across to him is, ‘We need you to do more because you can do more.’ We need him to diversify his offensive game more because teams are trying to smother him now and he can put it on the floor.”
Jackson, who is from Gainesville, Fla., said he improved his shot in the gym at his high school during the pandemic. He worked with his trainer, Terry Ivery, who played guard at Stetson.
Jackson had to wait a long time to get here. Coming out of Providence, where he averaged 7.6 points and 3.8 rebounds over his Friars career, he was released in training camp from the Lakeland Magic, the G League affiliate of the Orlando Magic, in November 2019.
He signed a contract with a French team, La Charite Basket 58, for the 2020-21 season. But he only played one exhibition game and the season was canceled because of COVID -19. He spent six months in the community of La Charite-sur-loire, often confined to his apartment, except when he’d go to the weight room or the gym.
He spent the time playing video games or having extended long-distance conversations with his fiancée, who lives in Jacksonville, Fla. They’re getting married on July 17.
“Missing basketball for two years, mentally, that’s a hard thing to do, especially when it’s not for talent, but more so because of a pandemic that pretty much delayed something that you work your whole life for,” Jackson said. “You have to find a whole new route and keep the faith. It’s hard, but you’ve got to be strong mentally.”
He returned to the United States in March 2021. In January, he thought he was going to get a chance with the G League’s Maine Celtics, owned by the Boston Celtics. That fell through because Jackson wasn’t yet vaccinated. He is now.
He said he was upset at the time, but now feels going to the Patroons might be for the best.
“I really wasn’t in game shape and I wasn’t getting the repetitions I needed to, like, competitively,” Jackson said. “I just look at it as, this is a blessing, an opportunity to showcase my skillset and coach and the team have been giving me a lot of confidence to be myself and show my abilities.”
Brown is just pleased Jackson was available. Brown found Jackson on the site Eurobasket.com. He contacted Jackson and his agent and got a favorable reference from the Providence coaches.
“I didn’t think it was going to be that easy or happen that quickly,” Brown said. “To be honest, it’s one of the easier situations I’ve had to deal with because I think he was just dying to get an opportunity.”
Note: The Patroons are adding former Ohio State guard Kam Williams on Friday. Williams scored more than 1,000 points for the Buckeyes from 2014-18.