Andre Jackson picked No. 36 in the NBA Draft, heading to the Milwaukee Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks traded with the Orlando Magic to take Andre Jackson No. 36 overall in the second round on Thursday night, making him the second Husky selected on the evening. UConn last had two draftees in 2014 (Shabazz Napier and DeAndre Daniels).

The heart and soul of the 2023 national champions, Jackson makes plays on both ends of the court and makes the players around him better. The Amsterdam, New York native had a strong NBA Combine, impressing scouts with his passing, athleticism, and defensive prowess.

The question about Jackson has been his shooting. He had some rough patches during the regular season but seemed to figure it out by the end. That said, he still has a lot of room to grow.

Last year he averaged 6.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game for UConn and did many things that didn’t show up in the box score, including tenacious defense, while stepping up his game in the NCAA Tournament, with 41 assists to 10 turnovers over the six games.

The Bucks were the top seed in the Eastern Conference in 2023 before losing to the eventual conference champion Heat in the first round. Milwaukee lost in the conference finals in 2022 after winning the NBA Finals in 2021. Led by the phenomenal Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks’ roster should benefit from Jackson’s dynamic playmaking ability.

Jordan Hawkins was selected earlier in the round, at 14th overall to New Orleans, while Adama Sanogo is waiting to hear his name called.