Demetrius Jackson Declares For NBA Draft
Demetrius Jackson has officially declared for the 2016 NBA Draft.
Per a Notre Dame spokesperson, Jackson is expected to hire an agent. Thus, the junior guard will not return to the Irish for a senior campaign.
“I am blessed with the opportunity to say I will be declaring for the NBA Draft,” Jackson released in a statement on social media. “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.”
Sophomore Matt Farrell will potentially inherit Jackson’s starting role next season, plus the Irish will add four-star signee and point guard Temple Gibbs Jr. to the roster.
The 6-3, 185-pound Gibbs Jr. is ranked as the No. 64 overall player nationally in the 2016 class per Rivals.com. He earned first-team all-state honors in New Jersey as a senior after posting more than 20 points per game for Seton Hall Prep.
Farrell played just 13.4 minutes per game for the Irish as a sophomore, averaging 2.6 points and 1.6 assists per contest. However, he started all four games for Notre Dame in the NCAA Tournament, and averaged 6.5 points and 3.5 assists in 26.8 minutes per game.
He committed zero turnovers in a combined 54 minutes in Notre Dame’s Sweet 16 win over Wisconsin and the Elite Eight loss to North Carolina.
Jackson led the Irish with 15.8 points and 4.7 assists per game this season. As of Tuesday night, DraftExpress.com projects him as the No. 11 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, behind only Providence’s Kris Dunn (No. 5 overall) and Kentucky’s Jamal Murray (No. 6) among potential point guards (Murray played at shooting guard for the Wildcats in 2015-16).
Former Irish star Jerian Grant — who is currently a rookie guard with the New York Knicks — also weighed in on Jackson's decision on social media.
“I remember [Jackson’s] recruiting visit,” Grant posted on Instagram. “He said, ‘I want to go somewhere where they produce pros.’
“I told him it’s not where you go, it’s what you do when you get there. And after hours on hours in the gym, we helped bring back the culture of basketball at ND. We have pros.”
Grant also acknowledged senior forward Zach Auguste and his upcoming professional road, plus the big man’s career at Notre Dame.
“Congrats bro’s, [Zach Auguste] too,” Grant wrote. “A lot of work to do, but gotta enjoy the run y’all had and what you helped build.”
Jackson will hold a press conference at 3 p.m. ET on Wednesday in Notre Dame’s Joyce Center to discuss his decision.