Dan Hurley landed his first official recruit of the 2020 class on Wednesday as forward Andre Jackson announced his commitment to UConn during a press conference at Albany Academy.
Andre Jackson, the 6-foot-6, Class of 2020 top-50 standout wing from Albany, N.Y., just committed to play at UConn.
— Neill Ostrout (@NeillOstrout) October 2, 2019
Jackson, a 6’6″, 195-pound wing from Albany, is the type of athlete that UConn fans will fondly remember watching in the ’90s and 2000s. His mixtape is a masterpiece, a deluge of alleys oop. Jackson (#70 on 247 Composite) is also considered an excellent defensive player and passer, and has drawn comparisons to Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine. Jackson will need to work on his shooting, but other than that, he appears to be the type of player ready to contribute immediately at the collegiate level.
Husky fans will find this acquisition particularly satisfying, as Jackson had long been considered a strong Syracuse lean, but in typical Jim Boeheim fashion, the Syracuse coach let this one slip through his snot-covered fingers. This is a particularly big setback for the Orange, as the coaching staff spent a tremendous amount of time and effort recruiting Jackson, whose length and athleticism made him an ideal option for the Bad Defense.
Hurley first offered Jackson in June of 2018, shortly after accepting the UConn job, and considered Jackson among his highest priorities this offseason. Officially, the Huskies only have one more open scholarship in the 2020 class, but they appear to be looking to add at least two more players. They’re hotly pursuing five-star SG Cameron Thomas (#24) and four-star CG Kadary Richmond (#100) as well as a slew of capable big men: Cliff Omoruyi (#47), Jaylin Williams (#69), Gethro Muscadin (#122), and Dylan Cardwell (#157). Hurley also has Howard transfer R.J. Cole, a high-scoring point guard who will be sitting out the upcoming season.
