Columbia remains special place for former South Carolina forward GG Jackson
Former South Carolina men’s basketball star GG Jackson could’ve spent the NBA All-Star break anywhere in the world.
He could’ve been Indianapolis, taking in all the festivities surrounding the league’s marquee midseason event. He also could’ve taken a relaxing vacation to the Caribbean or visited landmarks in other American cities.
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Instead, Jackson opted to return to his hometown of Columbia, South Carolina, a place that holds a special place in his heart.
“There’s no better place than home, I’ll tell you that. On All-Star break, different people are going to Turks and Caicos and, you know, like LA and different things,” Jackson said. “But I wanted to come back home.”
Columbia is not only where Jackson grew up, but also where his basketball career started taking flight. He played varsity basketball for three seasons at Ridge View High School, where he won two state championships in 2021 and 2022.
During his junior year, he averaged 22.1 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. Jackson earned multiple accolades in the process, as he was named both the 5A Boys South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association Player of the Year and the South Carolina Boys Basketball Gatorade Player of the Year that season.
His successful high school career also created interest on the recruiting trail, particularly with South Carolina. Frank Martin, who was the head coach at the time, emphasized the impact Jackson could have on the community as a Gamecock.
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“Especially coming back home, I think back to my official visit when Coach Frank Martin was here. We sat in his office, and he told me if I was to come to this school, about the gratitude and the way you would be able to uplift people,” Jackson said. “I didn’t understand it at the time. I was just trying to play basketball. But looking back on it, everything he told me has been coming true.”
Jackson would spend one season with South Carolina, where he accumulated 15.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. He was named to the SEC All-Freshman team for his efforts.
Since then, his rise to NBA rising stardom has been meteoric. The Memphis Grizzlies selected Jackson with the 45th overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft and signed him to a two-way contract.
That two-way contract eventually became a four-year deal, including three seasons guaranteed, in a matter of months. He is currently averaging 19.8 minutes and 11.1 points per game across 25 professional contests.
And the support he received from the Columbia faithful as a South Carolina athlete still remains, he said.
“Just the love everyone has for me, through the ups and downs, which is ridiculous to me because it was definitely a lot of downs,” Jackson said. “That just goes to show South Carolina has for any of its athletes, really.”
