Aaron Lee Jackson (born May 6, 1986) is an American former professional basketball player. Standing at ,AARON JACKSON HEIGHT: 6'3" (193 cm). ,he plays at both the point guard and shooting guard positions, with point guard being his main position.
He has played professionally in Europe and China, since finishing his collegiate career with Duquesne, earning plaudits for his play and achievements, most notably while with the Spanish club Bilbao Basket and the Russian club CSKA Moscow.
High school Jackson attended and played high school basketball at Northwest Catholic High School, in West Hartford, Connecticut, and at Worcester Academy, in Worcester, Massachusetts.
He won two Connecticut state championships while at Northwest Catholic High School, and spent a year at Worcester Academy prep school, for his postgraduate year. While playing under head coach Mo Cassara at the second, he was recruited by NCAA Division I program Duquesne, of the Atlantic 10 Conference, in April 2005."Aaron Jackson signs national letter of intent.", Scout.com, Pittsburgh, 18 April 2005. Retrieved on 20 May 2015.
College career At the time when Jackson started his college basketball career at Duquesne, the school's basketball program was in the midst of one of its worst stretches ever, reaching 10 wins just twice in 11 years, in repeating losing seasons. The 2005–06 season wouldn't reverse the trend, on the contrary as the 3–24 season was the worst in the school's 92 year history.Peretic, Joel. "Hero, Healer, Leader.", Pittsburgh Sports Report (commercial website), 14 November 2012. Retrieved on 20 May 2015. Despite this, Jackson started 21 of 27 games, and had comparatively good stats for a freshman (second on the team in assists and steals, and third in assist-to-turnover ratio in the conference)."Aaron Jackson", Duquesne Dukes. Retrieved on 27 March 2015.
The team's head coach, Danny Nee, was fired and replaced by Ron Everhart, and he would make sweeping changes to the roster, bringing in 10 new players, whilst only keeping two from the previous team, including Jackson, after a face to face meeting between the two.
In a team shook by a campus shooting (see Duquesne shooting), Jackson was a leader for the team as a sophomore. Playing in all games – starting most – he was in the conference top-10 in assists (3.8 per game) and steals (1.4 per game), whilst adding 11 points and 5 rebounds on average, as part of a team with an improved collective 10–19 record.
Jackson's junior season followed that trend, though he earned less minutes of playing time, as per Everhart's rotation policy. He led his team in minutes and assists, while also scoring in double figures and, posting 5+ rebounds 13 games during the season. With averages of 9 points per game and 4 rebounds per game, for the season. The Dukes had their first winning season since 1994.
Fittingly, he reached the pinnacle of his collegiate career in his last college season. Being the only senior in a team with seven freshmen, he started in every single game, as he led the team in scoring and assists (with a school record of 194), and was second on the team in rebounding and steals. His stats also ranked in the top 5 for the whole conference, in seven different statistical categories (of which included scoring, assists, steals, and minutes), which led to him being selected to the All-A 10 first team, and the NABC All-District 4 first team,"National Association of Basketball Coaches Announces 2009 Division I All-District Teams.", NABC, Kansas City (MO), 5 March 2009. Retrieved on 20 May 2015. also being awarded A-10 Most Improved Player.
On a team level, it was also successful season, as the Dukes had a 21–13 record in the regular season, their best since 1971, which allowed them to enter the NIT tournament. Jackson played in his last Dukes game in the first round of the NIT, against Virginia Tech, which was a befitting farewell, as he scored 46 points in the game (tied for the fourth highest single-game point total for the school), in a double overtime loss."Combo of Vassallo and Allen help Hokies overcome Jackson's 46.", ESPN, Blacksburg, 19 March 2009. Retrieved on 20 May 2015. At the end of his Duquesne college career, Jackson's name was inscribed into the university's record books, as his 194 assists in 2009, broke Norm Nixon's previous school record. Besides that, he was also tied for 1st place in games played (having played in all of his team's games, in every season), was in 3rd place in career assists (with 505), was in 6th place in steals (169), and in 7th place in field goal percentage.
Professional career With his collegiate career over, Jackson turned his sights to the professional game and the 2009 NBA draft, first by playing in the Portsmouth Invitational TournamentWaldrop, Melinda. "Portsmouth Invitational Tournament: Rise Follows '06 Shooting.", Daily Press (Virginia), Portsmouth (VA), 12 April 2009. Retrieved on 20 May 2015. then by attending workouts with a half-dozen NBA teams, despite this he was not predicted to be drafted though he did attract attention from the Indiana Pacers.Mackall, Dave. "Duquesne's Jackson making late draft push.", Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 23 June 2009. Retrieved on 20 May 2015. He would go undrafted in the end but did rejoin the Pacers for the NBA Summer League where, in a de facto competition with A. J. Price for the third point guard spot on the roster, Price was signed over him. Not financially interested in D-League contract offers, Jackson planned a move abroad.
Antalya Büyükşehir Belediyesi (2009–2010) Jackson moved to Antalya Büyükşehir Belediyesi of the Turkish Basketball Super League in July 2009, penning his first professional contract."Aaron Jackson Signs With Antalya of the Turkish Basketball League", Duquesne Dukes, Pittsburgh, 29 July 2009. Retrieved on 27 March 2015. For his first experience abroad he suffered from culture shock but developed his game in what he described as a physical league with hard fought games and had a good season statistically with 15,2 points, 4,9 rebounds and 4 assists per game."Aaron Jackson a bullet in his path.", LaVozDigital (commercial website), Madrid, 30 September 2010. Retrieved on 21 May 2015.
Virtus Pallacanestro Bologna (2010) Antalya finished in mid-table, missing the playoffs, but Jackson's season wasn't over as he then signed for Italian LBA side Virtus Bologna in April 2010 as a replacement for the injured Petteri Koponen to play in the playoffs.Conroy, Denny. "Ajax signs with Italian team.", Scout.com, 13 May 2010. Retrieved on 21 May 2015.Aquino, Luca. "Virtus has chosen Aaron Jackson.", Corriere di Bologna, 30 April 2010. Retrieved on 27 March 2015. He was an instant fit for the team, starting in all games of their first round playoff run, his good performances and statistics prompting the team to offer him an extension."Virtus, update.", Il Resto del Carlino, 15 June 2010. Retrieved on 21 May 2015.
Bilbao Basket (2010–2012) It was to be in vain for Virtus as Jackson signed a contract with Spanish Liga ACB team Bilbao Basket, signing a two-year deal (the second year an option) with an NBA clause in June 2010,"Aaron Jackson Agrees to Deal with Bilbao of the Spanish ACB.", Duquesne Dukes, Pittsburgh, 22 June 2010. Retrieved on 21 May 2015. after a summer league appearance with the Cleveland Cavaliers yielded no contract he joined the team for good."Aaron Jackson, introduced as a new Bilbao Basket player.", El Correo, 24 August 2010. Retrieved on 27 March 2015. He was brought in by coach Fotios Katsikaris to replace the club's legend, Javi Salgado, with a more athletic and dynamic play-maker, a decision that earned critics from fans and observers."Katsikaris targets the cup and the playoffs.", Eurosport, Getxo, 16 August 2010. Retrieved on 21 May 2015.
A frosty reception awaited Jackson in Spain, having to adapt to the competition level, considered the best national domestic league in Europe, and his dual role as facilitator and crunch time scorer, he had ups and downs before becoming the focal point of his team, leading them to 6th in the league before having a decisive role in their run to the playoff final, beating powerhouse Real Madrid in the process.Borja Tovar "Basque cinderella BBB makes the ACB final in a shocker", Talkbasket.net (Content website), 3 June 2011. Retrieved on 1 April 2015. Though they would lose in the final to Barcelona, Jackson played the most minutes of any player in the playoffs, also breaking the top 10 for scoring, rebounding, assists and steals"Individual statistics – Liga ACB 2010–11 (Playoffs).", Liga ACB. Retrieved on 21 May 2015. and the option on his second year was taken by the Basques, with the guard motivated by the prospect of playing in the EuroLeague, the continents' premier competition."Aaron Jackson will stay another season in Bilbao.", Marca (newspaper), Bilbao, 17 June 2011. Retrieved on 21 May 2015.
His second season in Spain was as successful, being named the fifth best point guard in the Liga ACB"Sergio Llull, best point guard of the 2011–2012 Liga Endesa." , Liga ACB, 4 May 2012. Retrieved on 21 May 2015. as he led his team to another playoff appearance though this time they lost in the first round, Jackson top scoring for Bilbao in both games. Above all he discovered the EuroLeague, among the European elite he had seesaw performances, none so evident in two back-to-back games against Real Madrid, the first a shocker with only 2 points in 20 minutes in a loss,"Jackson, Aaron: 2011–12 Statistics.", EuroLeague. Retrieved on 20 May 2015. the second a Top 16 Week 4 MVP performance, scoring 15 points with 10 assists and only 1 turnover in a 93–69 victory that allowed Bilbao to finish above Madrid in their group and reach the Quarterfinals."Top 16, Week 4 bwin MVP: Aaron Jackson, Gescrap BB.", EuroLeague, 10 February 2012. Retrieved on 11 April 2015. In the playoffs, he upped his game against future finalist CSKA Moscow, leading Bilbao in points, assists and steals to rank fifth for the playoff phase in Performance Index Rating,"CSKA adds point guard Jackson.", EuroLeague, 19 June 2012. Retrieved on 21 May 2015. despite this Bilbao was overpowered by the Russians and lost the series 3–1.
Jackson was out of contract at the end of the 2011–12 season and turned down a contract extension offer from Bilbao, ending his tenure there following "two marvelous years".
CSKA Moscow (2012–2017) On June 19, 2012, Jackson joined former opponents CSKA Moscow, penning a 3-year deal with perennial Russian champions, hours after they announced the return of former coach Ettore Messina who coached Real Madrid in 2010–11. He chose to sign with them instead of having another go at the NBA summer league."Getting to Know...Former Duquesne Star and European Basketball Standout Aaron Jackson.", IMG Academy, 26 June 2012. Retrieved on 11 April 2015.
Transforming from a star player to a role player at the European giants, Jackson found it hard to adapt to the perfectionist Messina's coaching style and struggled with form and confidence, more so when the club brought Theo Papaloukas at his position. Little by little he improved, later playing a part in CSKA's championship victories in the Russian League and the more competitive VTB United League, earning his first silverware, though they lost to Olympiacos in the EuroLeague semifinals, as the preceding year in the final.
Despite offers from other EuroLeague teams of a starting place on their roster he stayed put and was also confirmed by CSKA who had an option to terminate his contract."Jackson, Micov and Zozulin stay in CSKA.", CSKA Moscow, 12 June 2013. Retrieved on 22 May 2015.