Notre Dame junior point guard Demetrius Jackson declared for the NBA Draft on Tuesday night and is expected to sign with an agent.
The 6-foot-1 Jackson is the projected No. 11 pick according to DraftExpress.com.
In a statement he wrote:
“I am blessed with the opportunity to say I will be declaring for the NBA Draft. It was an honor to represent such a great University and program. There have been many people who’ve helped me along this journey, and I’d like to thank my family, teammates, and coaches for shaping me to be the player and man I am today. The continuous support of the Notre Dame family has made these past three years unforgettable. a huge thank you to my foster family-you opened your home to me, gave me the best possible situation to be successful, and allowed me to open up and trust again. Words will never be enough to describe how you’ve helped me grow.
“And to all those who believed in me through the ups and downs, thank you. Not only do I have a place to call home with my foster family, but now another at Notre Dame. #NotDoneYet #574”
Jackson went for 26 points, 4 assists and 2 rebounds in the 88-74 loss to North Carolina Sunday in the Elite Eight. He averaged 15.8 points, 4.7 assists and 3.5 rebounds on the season.
“He’s ready for the next challenge, he’s done everything he can basketball-wise and we fully support him and are excited to see him move on and accept that NBA challenge,” Irish coach Mike Brey told Hannah Storm Wednesday on SportsCenter.
Brey said Jackson has “a chance to move into the lottery.”
“It’s a little thin in the point guard position this year and really the way he played down the stretch against Wisconsin and the whole game against North Carolina, I thought put him in the frame of mind — and the NBA people to say — oh yeah he’s at least a mid-first-round guy,” Brey added. “We fully supported him. I think the biggest thing, he was ready. He wanted to do it.”
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