JSU’s Jackson Taken in WNBA Draft

The 2024 SWAC Defensive Player of the Year, 6-6 Jackson State grad senior forward Angel Jackson, was selected Monday in the third and final round of the WNBA Draft. 

The 6-6 Richmond, Ca. native was taken 36th overall by the Las Vegas Aces in the draft held at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Jackson was the last player selected. 

She was also one of four players the Aces took in the draft. They also selected three players in the second round – Syracuse guard Dyaisha Fair (16th overall), guard Kate Martin of national runners-up Iowa (18th overall) and Virginia Tech center Elizabeth Kitley (24th overall). 

Jackson spent two years at JSU after transferring from Southern Cal and averaged 10.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and a league-best 2.9 blocks per game this season. Her 2.9 blocks per game were fourth best in the nation. She also shot 81.2% from the line (95 of 117), fourth best in the SWAC. In her two seasons at JSU, Jackson averaged 9.8 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game while shooting 44.7% from the field and 78.9% from the charity stripe. 

She was the anchor of the Lady Tigers’ defense that helped them post an 18-0 regular season SWAC record and take the conference tournament title in a 68-44 win over Alcorn State last month. JSU (26-7), as a 14th-seed, lost to 3rd-seed UConn in a first round NCAA Tournament game, 86-64. Jackson had 13 points, four rebounds and two blocks in the season-ending contest. 

“I’m extremely excited for Angel,” Jackson State Head Coach Tomekia Reed told HBCU Legends. “She has always reminded me of a pro athlete with her abilities to score from the outside being 6-6. I totally believe she will have an amazing career at the next level. She has great abilities in protecting the basket as a shot blocker, she runs the floor well and she has done an amazing job playing against P5 (Power 5) opponents. She’s versatile being able to play facing the basket and playing with her back to the basket. She’s a true pro. I’m excited for her and this opportunity. She’s another great representation for our HBCU community and for Jackson State.” 

Jackson shot 50% from 3-point range in her JSU career canning 1 of 2 shots from behind the arc in the 2022-23 season and 3 of 6 from long range this season. 

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She becomes the seventh HBCU player, third player from the SWAC and second from JSU to be selected in the WNBA Draft. 

She joins former JSU SWAC Player of the Year Ameysha Williams-Holliday who was selected in third round of the 2022 draft by Indiana. Williams-Holliday lasted until the final cut with the Fever before being let go. Williams-Holliday was the first HBCU player to go in the WNBA Draft in 20 years. 

Howard forward/center Denique Graves was the first black college player to be drafted in the league, taken by the Sacramento Monarchs in the second round of the 1997 Draft. Graves only played sparingly in her one season for the Monarchs. Howard’s Karen Wilkins was taken the following year by the Phoenix Mercury and was cut before the season started. Ditto for SWAC Player of the Year Jaclyn Winfield of Southern taken by Utah in the fourth round of the 2002 draft and NC Central center Amba Kongolo taken by Phoenix in the fourth rounnd of the same draft. Two-time MEAC Player of the Year Andrea Gardner of Howard was taken in the second round of the 2002 Draft by Utah and played one season with the Starzz and one season with the Washington Mystics.