Demetrius Jackson
Demetrius Jackson | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 7, 1994 South Bend, Indiana, U.S. |
| Occupation | Professional basketball player (retired) |
| Years active | 2016–2021 |
| Known for | Basketball career with Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers |
Demetrius Montell Jackson Jr. (born September 7, 1994) is a retired American professional basketball athlete. He spent three years competing at the University of Notre Dame before being selected 45th overall by the Boston Celtics in the 2016 NBA draft.
High school career
During his time at Marian High School, Jackson posted averages of 22.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 2.0 steals per game as a junior. He led his squad to a sectional title and was named to the All-State Underclass First Team. In his senior year, he improved his stats to 25.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 2.6 steals per contest, finishing as the runner-up for the Indiana Mr. Basketball accolade. Upon graduation, he held the record for the highest career scoring total in St. Joseph County with 1,934 points.
Jackson’s outstanding high school achievements earned him a spot in the esteemed 2013 McDonald's All-American Boys Game, making him the first player from Northern Indiana since Shawn Kemp in 1988 to be honored in this way. In that event, he contributed 5 points, 4 assists, and 2 steals, while also securing both the Jack Daly Sportsmanship Award and the Skills Competition title.
Freshman season
Jackson committed to join Notre Dame under head coach Mike Brey. During his freshman year, he was anticipated to serve as a backup to guards Eric Atkins and Jerian Grant. Jackson recognized that playing alongside a senior point guard would aid his growth on the court. He recorded his first double-digit scoring game against Santa Clara, registering 13 points. In February, academic issues sidelined him for two games; however, he returned to post a season-best 17 points versus Miami. Over 30 games, starting in half of them, he averaged 6.0 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game.
Sophomore season
In his second collegiate season, Jackson achieved a career-high of 22 points against Michigan State, marking their first encounter in 35 years. He equaled this scoring output in a subsequent game versus Purdue. Jackson delivered notable performances during the 2015 ACC tournament against opponents such as Miami, Duke, and North Carolina, earning recognition on the All-ACC Tournament second team. His efforts helped Notre Dame progress to the Elite Eight, highlighted by a 20-point game against Wichita State. Throughout the season’s 38 games, he averaged 12.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. On April 14, 2015, it was reported by ESPN that Jackson intended to return for his junior season.
Junior season
On February 1, 2016, Jackson earned a spot among the 10 finalists for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award. Shortly after, on February 11, he was included on the midseason watchlist consisting of 35 players for the Naismith Trophy. On March 29, 2016, he announced his decision to enter the NBA draft, opting to forgo his remaining college eligibility.
Boston Celtics (2016–2017)
Jackson was chosen by the Boston Celtics with the 45th overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft on June 23, 2016. He officially signed with the team on July 27, 2016. Making his professional debut on November 6, he contributed eight points, three rebounds, and two assists in just 11 minutes off the bench during a loss to the Denver Nuggets. Throughout his rookie year, Jackson was frequently assigned to the Celtics' D-League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws. On July 15, 2017, Boston waived him.
Houston Rockets (2017–2018)
Jackson inked a two-way contract with the Houston Rockets on August 21, 2017, splitting his time between Houston and their G League team, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. This made him the first player in Rockets history to sign such an agreement. Early in the season, he received playing time due to an injury to Chris Paul, but his minutes decreased once Paul returned. On January 6, 2018, his two-way contract was terminated; nevertheless, he immediately signed a 10-day deal with Houston and was sent back to Rio Grande Valley to participate in the 2018 G League Showcase.
Philadelphia 76ers (2018–2019)
On January 14, 2018, Jackson agreed to a two-way contract with the Philadelphia 76ers and their NBA G League affiliate, the Delaware 87ers. He secured another two-way contract with Philadelphia for the following 2018–19 season.
South Bay Lakers (2019–2020)
Jackson signed with the Los Angeles Lakers on August 13, 2019. After being waived on October 21, 2019, he joined the roster of their G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers.
Rytas Vilnius (2020)
On August 8, 2020, Jackson committed to play for Rytas Vilnius in the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL). He earned LKL MVP honors for September after averaging 13 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 8.5 assists per contest. However, on October 30, 2020, he ended his contract due to undisclosed family matters.
Joventut Badalona (2021)
Jackson signed with Joventut Badalona, competing in Spain's Liga ACB, on January 29, 2021.
Regular season
|- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"|Boston | 5 || 0 || 3.4 || .750 || 1.000 || .500 || .8 || .6 || .0 || .0|| 2.0 |- | style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"| | style="text-align:left;"|Houston | 12 || 0 || 5.3 || .286 || .000 || – || .9 || .4 || .3 || .1 || .7 |- | style="text-align:left;"|Philadelphia | 3 || 0 || 5.7 || .750 || 1.000 || .500 || .3 || 1.3 || .3 || .0 || 2.7 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"|Philadelphia | 6 || 0 || 6.5 || .533 || .333 || 1.000 || .5 || .8 || .3 || .0 || 3.7 |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career | 26 || 0 || 5.2 || .486 || .286 || .667 || .7 || .7 || .3 || .0 || 1.8
College
|- | style="text-align:left;"|2013–14 | style="text-align:left;"|Notre Dame | 30 || 15 || 22.2 || .420 || .417 || .780 || 2.1 || 1.8 || .4 || .0 || 6.0 |- | style="text-align:left;"|2014–15 | style="text-align:left;"|Notre Dame | 38 || 38 || 34.7 || .508 || .429 || .745 || 3.6 || 3.1 || 1.6 || .3 || 12.4 |- | style="text-align:left;"|2015–16 | style="text-align:left;"|Notre Dame | 35 || 35 || 36.0 || .451 || .331 || .813 || 3.5 || 4.7 || 1.2 || .3 || 15.8 |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career | 103 || 88 || 31.5 || .467 || .381 || .782 || 3.1 || 3.3 || 1.1 || .2 || 11.7
Personal life
Originating from South Bend, Jackson is the son of Juanita Jones. Following the age of twelve, he experienced life in two foster placements before being welcomed into the Whitfield family, relatives of his teammate Michael Whitfield. During his time at the University of Notre Dame, he pursued studies in the College of Arts and Letters and took on roles as a brand ambassador for both Under Armour Basketball and AdvoCare.