Prospect Spotlight: Donovan Jackson (2019)
Former Faith Lutheran point guard Donovan Jackson currently checks in a No. 17 in Nevada’s inaugural 2019 rankings, those will be the only Nevada rankings he’ll make an appearance in.
It’ll be the Arizona rankings where he’ll land next, as Jackson has transferred into Mesa, Arizona’s Skyline High School.
He’ll bring a unique combo of elite ball-handling with sharpshooting ability to the Coyotes.
“My dad always told me that if you can handle the ball, you can fun to floor and be the general of the team, so my whole life I’ve been working on ball-handling, and that’s definitely my best strength,” said Jackson.”
“Once I got older, I learned a knockdown jump-shot. So I think that’s pretty unique that I can handle the ball and shoot the way I can.”
This past summer, Jackson was playing his 16U season with Las Vegas Empire, and it was during that time when he got a call from, his uncle, an assistant coach at Skyline.
“During the middle of the AAU season, I got a call from my uncle and he had an open spot for me at his school in Arizona, and that was going to give me more opportunities to play and showcase myself,” said Jackson.
The talented junior was adamant that he had no ill will towards the players and coaches at Faith Lutheran, but simply put: there was too much guard talent there.
“At the high school I was going to in Vegas, we were so guard-packed, that nobody could really showcase what they could do as a guard. It wasn’t anything against the coaches or the other players, it just wasn’t really a good situation for any of us,” said Jackson, who explained his new role at Skyline.
“Basically, I have the green light out there. My coach just told me he wants me to be aggressive. I’m excited for the season to come so I can really show everyone what I can do, and why I came out here.”
As for recruitment, it will come. But, for now, it’s been slow.
A main goal this season for Jackson is to see that recruitment pick up.
“The most I’ve ever got was a scout tweeting something about me and posting something online. I’m hoping this year I can get some recruitment. I don’t want to go into my senior year without any offers, then it’s almost too late,” said Jackson.
“That’s one of my main goals, is to at least have some colleges looking at me by the end of the year.”