Andre Jackson to remain in 2023 NBA Draft

After leading UConn to its fifth national championship and putting together an impressive performance at the NBA Combine, Andre Jackson is taking his game to the next level. The Amsterdam, New York native has decided to stay in the 2023 NBA Draft pool ahead of the May 31 deadline, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Jackson later confirmed the report with a tweet Wednesday night.

The 6-foot-5 Jackson has had his stock rise since declaring for the draft but maintaining college eligibility shortly after being named to the NCAA All-Tournament team, and now is widely projected to be selected towards the end of the first round.

Jackson averaged 6.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game this season as a starter for the Huskies, and routinely used his athleticism for easy buckets in transition and relentless defense. He racked up 41 assists to just 10 turnovers in the entire NCAA tournament, including a 10-assist, zero-turnover performance in the Elite Eight against Gonzaga.

In terms of athleticism, defense and playmaking ability, Jackson is already an NBA-level talent, but his shooting struggles are what will likely keep him from being selected within the first 20 picks. Jackson shot 28 percent from three this season with unorthodox mechanics, although his form has improved tremendously since arriving to UConn as a freshman. NBA teams are aware of this, as shooting is more important in the league than ever, but are likely willing to put in the time and resources to further improve his shooting given Jackson’s numerous other strengths.