Amsterdam native Andre Jackson Jr., the former Albany Academy star, announced Wednesday he is staying in the NBA Draft and will forego his senior year at national champion University of Connecticut.
Jackson’s decision came just hours before the deadline to either stay in the draft pool or withdraw.
“My time at UCONN has been filled with ups and downs but through it all I built relationships with my teammates, coaches, friends and fans that will last forever,” Jackson tweeted. “I’ve made so many memories playing in that jersey and I will miss it. But I’ll always be a husky. Thank you.”
Jackson, a 6-foot-6, 210-pound guard, averaged 6.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists this year in helping the Huskies win the national title. Their championship run included victories over Iona and St. Mary’s in the NCAA Tournament’s first and second rounds at MVP Arena in Albany.
Jackson had a strong showing at the predraft combine in Chicago. He is projected as the No. 32 overall pick, the second choice in the second round, in ESPN’s mock draft. The draft is June 22 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.Â
While Jackson has NBA athleticism and has been lauded for his leadership skills and unselfishness, there are questions about his outside shot. He shot 26.2 percent from 3-point range this season.
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