Desmar Jackson

Desmar Tyaun Jackson (born August 9, 1990) is an American professional basketball player who last played for Amistad Sucre of the Bolivian Libobasquet. He played college basketball for the University of Wyoming and Southern Illinois University.

High school career

Jackson began his high school career at Warren Kennedy High School where he averaged 24 points per game as a sophomore in 2006–07 for the Eagles basketball team. Jackson also played some high school football while attending Warren Kennedy. As a wide receiver, Jackson helped his team advance to the Division V state finals as a sophomore. Prior to his junior year, he transferred to Warren G. Harding High School where he played for coach Steve Arnold and led his team to a combined record of 46–5 over two years. As a junior in 2007–08, he averaged 15 points, five assists, five rebounds and three steals per game.

As team captain his senior year in 2008–09, Jackson was named to the Associated Press All-Ohio first team for Division I, the highest classification in Ohio after averaging 20.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.3 steals per game. In addition to earning All-State honors as a senior, Jackson was named first-team All-Conference and first-team All-Northeast Ohio. He was also a finalist for the Ohio Player of the Year Award and was nominated to be a McDonald's All-American after he helped lead Warren Harding to the final four of the Ohio Division I State Tournament for the first time in 43 years.

On April 15, 2009, Jackson signed a National Letter of Intent to play college basketball for the University of Wyoming.

College career

Freshman year

As a freshman for Wyoming in 2009–10, Jackson was one of only 20 freshmen in the nation named to the CollegeInsider.com Freshmen All-America Team. He was also named third-team All-Mountain West Conference by the league's coaches and media. By scoring 366 points during the season, Jackson moved into eighth place on the MWC's all-time freshmen scoring list.

On the year, Jackson averaged 11.8 points per game, which was the second best scoring average by a freshman in the MWC and the 11th best overall average in the league. He scored in double figures 18 times, scored 20 or more points seven times, and 30 or more points once. On the season, he shot 50.8 percent from the field, which ranked No. 4 in the MWC. He also averaged 2.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game.

Jackson scored a career-high 31 points against Utah on February 27, 2010, which was the most points scored by a Cowboy since Afam Muojeke scored 31 in the first game of the 2008–09 season. He did not manage to surpass this total throughout the rest of his career.

Sophomore year

As a sophomore in 2010–11, Jackson led the Cowboys in scoring with 14.6 points per game as he ranked fifth in the Mountain West Conference in scoring and 13th in rebounding. He led the team in scoring 14 times and scored in double figures in 25 of 30 games. He also averaged 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.0 steals per game as he earned All-MWC Honorable Mention honors. On January 4, 2011, he scored a season-high 24 points against Colorado State.

Transfer and redshirt year

After Wyoming fired coach Heath Schroyer following the 2010–11 season, it was announced on April 8, 2011 that Jackson would not be returning to the program in 2011–12 under new coach Larry Shyatt. Five days later, Jackson transferred to Southern Illinois University and subsequently sat out the 2011–12 season due to NCAA transfer regulations.

Junior year

As a junior for Southern Illinois in 2012–13, Jackson earned All-MVC Honorable Mention and MVC All-Newcomer team honors after he ranked sixth in the MVC in scoring (15.1 ppg), 13th in rebounding (5.4 rpg) and fourth in steals (1.9 spg); his 58 steals were the ninth most in a season in school history. He recorded three-straight 20-point games between January 9 and January 15, this becoming the first Saluki player to do so since Kent Williams in 2001. A two-time winner of the MVC Newcomer of the Week (December 3 and March 4), Jackson was also named to the All-Tournament team at the World Vision Challenge in Utah, where he averaged 22.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.

Senior year

As a senior in 2013–14, Jackson became the first player in school history to lead the team in points, rebounds, assists, steals and free throws. He ranked second in the MVC in scoring (18.6 ppg) and 14th in the nation in steals (2.42 spg), while scoring 20+ points 11 times and recorded double-figure scoring games in every game except the season finale. He also averaged 5.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists as he earned second-team All-MVC, MVC All-Defensive team and NABC Division I All-District 16 second team honors.

Jackson recorded 1,080 points in two seasons at SIU and 1,884 career points in his college career, finishing third in career scoring at SIU among two-year players.

College statistics

Professional career

After going undrafted in the 2014 NBA draft, Jackson had a four-game stint in Argentina with La Unión de Formosa between September and October. In February 2015, he had a short-lived stint in the NBA Development League with the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

Jackson spent the 2016 preseason in Austria with the Oberwart Gunners.

In July 2019, Jackson joined Amistad Sucre of the Bolivian Libobasquet. In eight games, he averaged 20.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 3.1 steals per game.

Personal

Jackson is the son of Valerie Jackson and Omar Provitt, and is the second-youngest of five brothers and two sisters. His father, a standout wide receiver for Warren High School's 1990 state champions, spent some time in prison and wasn't a big part of Jackson's life until junior high. His cousin, Lance Smith, played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers and the Memphis Tigers.