JSU’s Angel Jackson Becomes 2nd HBCU Player Drafted to WNBA in The Last 20 Years

Women’s basketball and the WNBA have been on fire the last few years, especially with the latest 2024 WNBA draft class. This latest draft class also included Angel Jackson. Jackson is just the second HBCU player drafted in over twenty years to the WNBA – both players are Jackson State alums. In 2022, Ameshya Williams-Holliday of Jackson State was also drafted to the WNBA in the third round by the Indiana Fever. Both of these players also played under the decorated, current women’s head basketball coach for JSU, Tomekia Reed.

Earlier this week, Angel Jackson was selected by the Las Vegas Aces to continue her basketball career. The Lady Tigers also went undefeated this past season and won the 2024 SWAC championship title. On top of a successful season, Jackson also won SWAC Defensive Player of the Year.

The Las Vegas Aces is a great organization for Jackson to transition from her collegiate career to a professional career. The Aces are currently the back-to-back WNBA champions, winning the last two WNBA Finals. Not only does their roster have heavy hitters like 2x WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson and 3x WNBA Champion Candace Parker – they are coached by the one and only Becky Hammon. Hammon, a recent Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee, is an extremely successful basketball coach in both professional women’s and men’s basketball. Hammon, an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs at the time, made history in 2015 when she led the Spurs Summer League to a Summer League title as the first woman in history to win that title. 

Angel Jackson will be headed into WNBA summer training as players compete for their official spot on all WNBA rosters for this season.

I sat down with Jackson State basketball player Angel Jackson to discuss being drafted to the WNBA!

She had wonderful things to say including her love for Jackson State and her team!@GoJSUTigers / @hooper_angel15 / @CoachTReed pic.twitter.com/Cv2pRDTznH

— Blake Levine (@blake_levine) April 16, 2024

.@GoJSUTigersWBB‘s Angel Jackson was selected by the @LVAces with the 36th overall pick in the 2024 @WNBA Draft. Jackson is the second women’s basketball player to be drafted from JSU. #WNBADraft #THEEiLove @GoJSUTigers

📰 | https://t.co/xScgmjN53a pic.twitter.com/6LcRmNybFn

— Jackson State U. (@JacksonStateU) April 16, 2024