 Jackson with Köping Stars in 2021 | |
| Jämtland Basket | |
|---|---|
| Position | Point guard |
| League | Swedish Basketball League |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1996-05-09)May 9, 1996 (age 29) |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Listed weight | 175 lb (79 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | |
| College |
|
| NBA draft | 2019:undrafted |
| Playing career | 2019–present |
| Career history | |
| 2019–2021 | Köping Stars |
| 2021 | Hapoel Migdal/Jezreel |
| 2022–2022 | Bisons Loimaa |
| 2022–2022 | Nha Trang Dolphins |
| 2022–2022 | Leicester Riders |
| 2022–present | Jämtland Basket |
| Career highlights | |
| |
Cleveland Alan Jackson Jr., better known asC.J. Jackson (born May 9, 1996), is an American professionalbasketball player forJämtland Basket of theSwedish Basketball League. He playedcollege basketball forOhio State University.
Jackson was born inGeorgia, the son of Cleveland and Shawn Jackson. He is the oldest of three children. CJ has two younger sisters, Camiya and Camryn. He moved toLos Angeles at a young age so his father could coach at a high school, then back to Georgia where the elder Jackson became an assistant atMercer.[1]
After a high school career atOlympic High School inCharlotte, North Carolina, where he helped his team win aNCHSAA 4A state championship, Jackson did apostgraduate year atMontverde Academy inMontverde, Florida.[2] He committed toGeorge Mason, but after coachPaul Hewitt was fired, Jackson committed toEastern Florida State College.[3]
In his lone season at Eastern Florida State College, Jackson averaged 16.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game for the team.[3] He was named to theNJCAA Division I Men's Basketball All-America Second Team.[4] Jackson transferred toOhio State University, choosing the Buckeyes over offers fromUConn,Virginia Tech, andMissouri.[3]
In hisfirst season for the Buckeyes, where he was coached byThad Matta, Jackson was the back-up point guard and averaged 5.5 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists. Thefollowing season, the new head coachChris Holtmann gave Jackson the starting position at the backcourt and Jackson improved his stats and averaged 12.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game for the Buckeyes.[1] He missed a game againstMaryland on February 23, 2019 with a shoulder injury.[5] In hislast season for the team, Jackson averaged 12.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.[6][7]
Following the close of his college career, Jackson competed with Team Big X inThe Basketball Tournament.[8]
In August 2019, Jackson signed with theKöping Stars of the SwedishBasketligan.[9]
In his first game as a professional, on September 27, 2019, Jackson made the game-winning points when Köping defeatedlast year's silver medalistBorås Basket in the2019–20 Basketligan premiere game. With 0.8 seconds left and down by two points, Jackson scored a layup to tie the game, was fouled in the act of shooting and got a bonus throw that he hit to make the game-ending score 91–90.[10]
On November 18, 2019 Jackson got named to theSBL Team of the Week for the first time.[11]
On January 27, 2020 the day after Kobe Bryant's death, Jackson played one of his best games in the Köping Stars shirt with 29 points in a 87–96 over time loss away against Jämtland Basket. Before the game, Jackson changed his jersey number from #1 to #8 to pay respect for the late Lakers legend.[12]
In an interview with Sveriges Radio, a Swedish Radio station, Jackson told that he's been a Lakers fan forever, and that he till this day sleeps with a Lakers pillow. And once time he got courtside Lakers tickets to a game where Kobe Bryant scored over 40 points.[13]
In March 2020 the Coronavirus-pandemic hit Sweden and the season got cancelled. With Köping Stars being on a third place, they received a bronze medal.
In October 2020, Jackson resigned with Köping for a second season with the Stars. In the press release, Jackson says "I’am deeply excited to be back in Köping and i am happy to be around the guys on the team again. The way last season ended i look at this year as unfinished business and i’m ready to make a push at a championship.".[14]
In September 2021, Jackson started the season with Hapoel Migdal/Jezreel in theLiga Leumit. He left in November, after averaging 4 points and 2 rebounds per game.[15] On March 16, 2022, Jackson signed withBisons Loimaa of theKorisliiga.[16]
Jackson joined Big X, a team composed primarily of former Big Ten players inThe Basketball Tournament 2020. He made the game-winning shot in a 79–74 win over alternate D2 in the first round.[17]