Jackson McAndrew breaks down Creighton, Wisconsin officials; dives into future visits
There is starting to be a lot of buzz coming out of Minnesota with 6-foot-8 forward Jackson McAndrew. The Minneapolis (MN) Wayzata High junior is the son of former North Dakota player Steve McAndrew and has consistently showcased his skill set this season.
“I’m an elite shooter with a high basketball IQ and feel for the game,” McAndrew told On3. “I would consider myself a point-forward type player with my ability to dribble, pass, and shoot at a high level. Also am a good positional rebounder. From a defensive perspective, I am versatile and can guard multiple positions. I watch a lot of LeBron (James) and Lauri Markkanen. I really like watching their versatility and being able to do all things on the court.”
College coaches have taken notice. On3 caught up with Jackson McAndrew recently to recap his two official visits and what the future of his recruitment could look like.
I have been on two official visits, one to Creighton and one to Wisconsin,” McAndrew said. “I’ve also gone on unofficials to both of those.”
McAndrew talks Creighton
“They have a very successful program,” McAndrew said. “I wanted to check out the facilities and campus more, as well as build relationships with the coaches and players. I have a great relationship with Coach (Greg) McDermott. I’ve gotten to know him better with the visits I have taken. I like how knowledgeable he is about the game and how he interacts with his players. I like how he tells me what I need to do to get better and things I need to work on, not just things I’m good at.
“My favorite part of the visit was building relationships with the coaches and players. It was great to spend more time with all of them. I also enjoyed the game a lot, the environment was a lot of fun in there. I really like their style of play and the pace and space they play with and can see myself fitting in it very well with my versatility and ability to dribble, pass, and shoot.”
McAndrew talks Wisconsin
“Wisconsin had been recruiting me for a long time,” McAndrew said. “They were one of the first schools I was in contact with. It was great for that to progress into an official visit. My relationship with Coach (Greg) Gard is really good. I hear from him a good amount through calls and mail. We talk a lot about how’d I’d fit in with the program, and he tells me what I need to do to get better, which I appreciate it.
“My favorite part of the Wisconsin visits was hanging out with the coaches and players and getting to know them more. Also, getting a better feel for the campus and facilities was nice. I was on an unofficial a couple of weeks ago for a basketball game, and that was really cool as well. I see myself fitting into their style of play very well with my versatility and ability to shoot the ball.”
Future officials
“I have been talking with Xavier and Iowa about going on official visits there in the future,” McAndrew said. “We haven’t set the dates yet.”
Iowa: “Overall, they have a great basketball program and a great coaching staff. The facilities and campus are nice as well. My relationship with the staff is good, my lead recruiter is Coach (Sherman) Dillard. They like my game a lot, like my elite shooting ability and versatility. They think it fits very well in their style of play. I agree with it and can see myself fitting into their system very well.”
Xavier: “Xavier has great basketball tradition. They have come to visit me multiple times, and can feel their interest. I really like the coaching staff and the plans they have for the future for me. They also have proven they can get players like me to the next level. My lead recruiter is Coach (Adam) Cohen. They like the versatility of my game and my ability to dribble, pass, and shoot at a high level. I see myself fitting in there very well with their style of play.”
“I’ve also been in contact with Virginia, Wake Forest, Clemson, Utah, and Princeton,” McAndrew said. “I also heard from Ohio State recently.”
In McAndrew’s words
“I don’t really have a timeframe as of now,” McAndrew said. “I’m still pretty open and want to get on some more visits to feel things out. But I will probably commit sometime during the summer.
“I am most looking for a school that has a good team culture where I feel most wanted and comfortable. Also, a coaching staff that I know and trust will be a huge part of it. Players that are there and will be going there will have an impact as well. These visits help give me a feel for this and allow me to go more in-depth with it.
“The play style that I think best fits me is one where I will be put into a position to dribble, pass, and shoot. Also, a team that plays with good tempo and spaces the floor well. Obviously, I would love to play right away, but I also understand that it needs to be earned, so the development piece is very important.”