Willie Jackson, a 6-foot-6, 215-pound rising senior forward from Cleveland (OH) Garfield Heights, is one of the top frontcourt players in the Midwest. Jackson helped lead the King James All-Stars to a 13-4 record in the EYBL and they went a perfect 5-0 in the Minneapolis session over the Memorial Day weekend.
Jackson averaged 8.4 points per game in 17 games in the EYBL.
Gopher Hole recently caught up with Jackson to learn the latest on his college recruitment and summer.
Gopher Hole: You come from a great basketball tradition at Garfield Heights and have played a big role since you were a freshman. What has it meant to you to be part of one of the top programs in the State of Ohio?
Willie Jackson: It is very important and it has been fun, but a long, long trip, though. More learning and stuff like that. When you have a coach that knows the game and pushes you and makes it fun for you, that is really all you can ask for.
Gopher Hole: Is it weird that you are finally going to be a senior next year? You have been a key player the past three seasons.
Willie Jackson: Yes. High school went fast. I didn’t know it was going to go this fast. I was telling my mom, I was just in the eighth grade and now I am going to be a senior. It goes fast.
Gopher Hole: You had a great season and averaged over 14 points and 14 rebounds per game. How pleased were you with your junior season?
Willie Jackson: I wasn’t really like pleased. It was just as a sophomore, I knew that I had to get in the gym and put in work because that day, everybody kept talking about ball handling and shooting and that is what got in the gym and did.
Gopher Hole: How far did get in the state playoffs last year?
Willie Jackson: Final Four. We lost to Westerville South out of Columbus.
Gopher Hole: What are the expectations for your team this year? Did you lose a lot of guys or do you have a lot of guys coming back.
Willie Jackson: We lose three seniors. Three of the main guys, but, like I told my coach, “It is my last year and I am not losing.” I told the media after we lost in the Final Four, that I was going to get in the gym and I have been in the gym every day. I am on a page to not lose.
Gopher Hole: Obviously, it is a big factor to get even farther this upcoming season, right?
Willie Jackson: Yes. .
Gopher Hole: What things have you really been working on to continue to improve yourself as a player?
Willie Jackson: I watch a lot of film. I am in the gym working on ballhandling, quick moves because on this team, I play the “4”, because I am the second biggest guy on the team, but in college, I know that they are going to put me at the “2” or “3,” so I have putting up 800 shots a day, working on a lot of ballhandling and working on my moves. Staying in the gym, basically.
Gopher Hole: Do you like doing that?
Willie Jackson: I love it.
Gopher Hole: Have you always been a basketball player? Have you played other sports?
Willie Jackson: I play soccer, ran track, played baseball. I stopped playing baseball my freshman year after I broke my collarbone. I still play soccer. I still run track. Do it all.
Gopher Hole: Do you think that those sports really help with footwork?
Willie Jackson: Soccer definitely helps my footwork. Running track was just to stay in shape, so in the fourth quarter when everyone is tired, I am in shape and came stay in. Last year, I didn’t come out one game.
Gopher Hole: What is the latest on your recruitment right now? What schools are you really looking at right now?
Willie Jackson: Iowa, Oregon, Butler, Texas, Wichita, Iowa State, Penn State, Xavier and Minnesota. My boy, Coach Pitino.
Gopher Hole: What are you hearing from Minnesota? What are they saying to you?
Willie Jackson: My mom talked to them last week. She has a conversation with them because right now, I am more focused on getting us to the Peach Jam, so I really haven’t been talking to the college coaches. I just let my high school coach and my mom take care of that.
Gopher Hole: Did you get a chance to go to many college games last year?
Willie Jackson: No, I didn’t travel. Most of them came to see me. I didn’t travel, but I will make all my visits in September.
Gopher Hole: When you finally pick a school what are going to be the main factors that are going to make you pick School A over School B or C?
Willie Jackson: How many vets they’ve got. Guys that can teach me, because it is cool learning from a coach¸ but when you learn it from another player that has been there, that is the biggest thing and my major.
Gopher Hole: What do want to major in at college?
Willie Jackson: Criminal justice.
Gopher Hole: You are getting a lot of looks from Big Ten schools like Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Penn State. Would you like to stay close to home or does that matter much to you?
Willie Jackson: No, it doesn’t really matter. It is just the best fit, so if Oregon is the best fit, I am going to go to Oregon. Iowa State, the best fit. Minnesota, the best fit.
Gopher Hole: What schools do you definitely think that you are going to try to visit?
Willie Jackson: I haven’t really set down and broke it down yet, but I will say my top five right now, if I had to visit tomorrow, would be Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Iowa State and Butler.
Gopher Hole: Did you get a chance to watch many of those teams during the season?
Willie Jackson: I watched Iowa because they had Aaron White from Ohio. I watched him. I didn’t get a chance to see Butler. I watched Iowa State all the time. Wisconsin, I watched them all the time. I have All Access.
Gopher Hole: Did you see Minnesota much?
Willie Jackson: Not that much. I remember watching them when they played Louisville. I watched that whole game
Gopher Hole: You want to play an up-tempo style. Is that something you are looking for out of a school that plays your style?
Willie Jackson: Yes, sir.