The 2023 champions lose their three most dynamic pieces to NBA. As is often the case in college hoops, the winners go the draft picks — and so go the draft picks. UConn may end up getting three of them in June.
CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander has confirmed that young athletic winger Andre Jackson Jr. will keep his name in the draft and forgo his remaining collegiate eligibility. Jackson joins teammates Adama Sanogo (2023 Final Four MVP) and prospective lottery pick Jordan Hawkins in going early for the association.
However, UConn isn’t losing all of the big names. The Huskies will bring back guard Tristen Newton, who announced his return to Storrs on Wednesday morning. They will also return one of the best big players in the sport, Donovan Clingan, who declared his allegiance to the Huskies shortly after the end of the season. Clingan could be a lottery pick in 2024.
Casting Jackson off is a tough, if somewhat expected, departure. The 6-foot-6 winger is one of the best athletes in this year’s draft class and was a fullback and playmaker for UConn on its way to its fifth national championship. Jackson was an ancient example of someone whose stats only told part of the story. He averaged 6.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists while playing less than 30 minutes per game. Jackson’s intangibles were undeniable; He was a threat to the task of scouting, a player who often exposed his opponents’ weaknesses with his quick-twitch skills and above-average intelligence for hoops.
If not for his inconsistent shooting, he probably would have been a lottery pick. Jackson is a professional shooter with a percentage of 42.8%, with a 29.3% clip of 3. It speaks to his reputation as a teammate that he managed to overcome flawed shooting on his way to being almost certainly selected on draft night (June 22).
CBS Sports draft expert Kyle Boone ranked Jackson 27th on his senior council. His selection range is in the region of 25-45.
UConn has been consistently ranked #2 in the Gary Parish’s Top 25 and Top 1 rankings, but this was the projection that took into account that Jackson would be on the list for next season. Since his departure, the reigning national champions are expected to slip away from the top five in the 2023-24 campaign.