For UTRGV Men’s Basketball Team junior guard Jordan Jackson, family, tradition and ritual are important aspects in his life.
Jackson has played with the Vaqueros since 2017. His role on the team is crucial this season.
He is the son of Women’s National Basketball Association legend and Hall of Famer Sheryl Swoopes and Erick Jackson, who has a mass communication degree. This is where Jordan got his skills in basketball and his interest in mass communication.
The process of becoming a Division 1 player began when he was a teenager at St. Pius X High School in Houston, where he averaged 9.8 points per game as a sophomore and 13.4 points per game as a junior.
“I mean, I started playing at a young age, a very young age,” Jackson said. “And I went on to high school to play at St. Pius X. … and had a pretty successful career there.”
In the 2015-16 season, Jackson signed with the Masked Raiders of Texas Tech University. It’s there when he began his collegiate career, scoring 26 points and 17 rebounds in 122 minutes across 23 games as a starter.
After Texas Tech, he played for Midland College during the 2016-2017 season, before he was recruited by UTRGV. At Midland, Jackson averaged 9.0 points and 4.1 rebounds in 26 games, 10 of those as a starter.
In 2017, UTRGV Men’s Basketball Team Head Coach Lew Hill announced Jackson as a new guard for the Vaqueros.
Jackson praised the Rio Grande Valley.
“I love the Valley,” he said. “It’s a great place, you know, with really good food. The weather is nice. I mean, as of late it hasn’t been so nice. The people out here are really friendly and nice. So, you know, the Valley is a great place to be.”
During the 2018-19 WAC regular season, which ended March 7, Jackson scored an average 8.6 points per game, which helped the Vaqueros be ranked No. 4 in the conference.
Asked what he believes he brings to the team, Jackson replied, “I believe I bring a lot of energy to the team. A very athletic scoring guard that can defend, you know, the 1-4 positions. I feel like, you know, I just bring energy to the team and certain leadership qualities.”
Many college and professional basketball players have their own routine before starting a game. Jackson has a unique pregame ritual.
“For every game, I obviously listen to my music,” he said. “I go in the training room, I sit in the hot tub for about 10 minutes, and then I have to eat cookies before the game. I drink milk and eat cookies before the game. I listen to hip-hop, some R&B. Before the game, I usually listen to Drake and 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne and Roddy Rich before the games.”
Jackson also explained why he wears jersey No. 22 and the importance of that number. Wearing the number 22 has become a tradition in his family. His mom and dad wore it, but now it’s time for him to carry the number on his back.
“I’ve had No. 22 my whole life,” he said. “You know, my dad wore it in college and my mom wore it her whole life and she’s made that number almost like, you know, [the] family number to wear. So, I wear that number in honor of my mom and dad.”
Asked what he would do if basketball were no longer an option for him, Jackson replied that he would continue with his education to earn a master’s degree in mass communication.
“Well, I would continue to pursue my master’s degree and then, I would really want to be a broadcaster for, you know, like ESPN or, you know, TNT.”
Jackson shared his future goals.
“I want to, you know, make it to the NCAA tournament again,” he said. “I want to win a conference championship here and, ultimately, I want to play at the highest level possible. I want to be able to, you know, turn my dreams into reality, which is making this my profession. You know, I want to be a professional basketball player someday. If that doesn’t work out, well, I just want to have a successful life. I want to stay motivated and all this good stuff.”
UTRGV junior guard Jordan Jackson attempts to pass Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi defense to reach the basket Nov. 26 during the South Texas Showdown in the UTRGV Fieldhouse.
