March 29, 2016
Junior guard Demetrius Jackson (Mishawaka, Ind.) has declared himself eligible for the 2016 NBA Draft, via his personal Instagram account. Jackson is expected to sign with an agent and will not return to Notre Dame for his final year of eligibility in 2016-17.
From Jackson’s Instagram account (@d_jay11):
“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.”
Jackson was a second-team All-ACC selection by both the league coaches and media in 2015-16, while leading the Irish in scoring (15.8 ppg), assists (164, 4.7 pg) and steals (43, 1.2). He was most recently named to the NCAA All-East Regional Tournament team, capping off his Notre Dame career with a 26-point performance against North Carolina in the regional final, while also pushing the Irish to the Elite Eight with two steals, one of which led to the game winning points, in the final seconds of Notre Dame’s 61-56 victory over Wisconsin in the Sweet 16.
Jackson finishes his Notre Dame career with 1,204 points (11.7 pg), 335 assists (3.3 pg) and 114 steals (1.1 pg). He averaged over 31 minutes played per game in his career, including 36.0 per game in 2014-15 and 31.5 per game in 2015-16. He finishes 40th on the all-time scoring list at Notre Dame, 17th in assists, tied for 17th in steals and tied for 17th in free throw percentage (.782).
Jackson held a Q&A session with local media on Wednesday, March 30, the transcript of which can be accessed via the PDF at the top of this page.
Great decision by DJ & I fully support it.
He’s maxed out his college experience & is ready for challenge of NBA. pic.twitter.com/bOEZOI2STX
— Mike Brey (@NDMikeBrey) March 30, 2016