NBA Draft Headlines
The Magic took UConn’s Andre Jackson Jr. with the 36th overall pick and quickly traded him to the Milwaukee Bucks
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated5 hours ago on April 27, 2024
In the most recent NCAA tournament, the UConn Huskies dominated their competition. Head coach Danny Hurley helped lead the Huskies to their fifth national title in the last 25 years. Their roster was full of elite talent, even some NBA draft picks. Last night, UConn’s Andre Jackson Jr. was drafted by the Magic and then traded to the Bucks.
The Milwaukee Bucks traded a 2030 second-round pick and cash considerations to the Magic Andre Jackson Jr.’s draft rights. This past season the Bucks led the NBA with the best record, but lost in five games during the first round of playoffs. Head coach Mike Budenholzer was fired and the Bucks hired Adrian Griffin.
Jordan Hawkins and Andre Jackson Jr. are the first pair of UConn teammates to be drafted in the same class with Danny Hurley as head coach. Jackson Jr. was one of the co-captains for the Huskies last season. He’ll now get the chance to work his way into the rotation for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Special moment for Dre 💙@andrejackson111 receives the call from the @Bucks #HU5KIES | @NBADraft pic.twitter.com/FdfbIhVCxQ
— UConn Men’s Basketball (@UConnMBB) June 23, 2023
Andre Jackson Jr. is now a member of the Milwaukee Bucks after being traded from the Magic
In UConn’s national championship season, Andre Jackson Jr. played in 36 of their 39 games and made 31 starts. The 21-year-old averaged (6.7) points, (6.2) rebounds, (4.7) assists, and (1.1) steals per game. He was second on the team in rebounds last season and was tied for the most assists.
Jackson Jr. wasn’t known for scoring in bunches, but he could fill up the stat sheet. At six-foot-six, he’s not the typical size of a PG. His length and explosiveness give him the skillset of a forward as a backcourt player. His stock in the NBA draft rose exponentially after helping UConn win the National Championship.
The only true knock on his game is the consistency from range. Last season, his three-point shooting percentage was under (.300). However, his defensive intensity and playmaking skills outweighed those concerns for NBA scouts. His former head coach Danny Hurley said that Jackson Jr. can get right into the rotation and get playing time with his work ethic. Milwaukee valued Jackson Jr. and that’s why they made a trade for him.
