Vance Jackson is officially on the move. The forward made his intention to transfer clear after the 2016-17 College Basketball season. As fellow transfers found new schools, Jackson took his time, seeking out options across the country. On Sunday night, however, he hinted to the world on Twitter that a decision would be forthcoming. On Monday, sources reported that the time had come and that the forward would be taking his talent to the Mountain West conference.
Jackson headed to New Mexico
According to Jon Rothstein of CBS, Jackson will be taking his talent to the New Mexico Lobos.
The forward, who comes in at 6-foot-8 and 230 pounds, will be forced to sit out next season due to the transfer rules of the NCAA. After that, he will have three seasons of eligibility left in his collegiate career. The other schools Jackson looked at included TCU, Washington, San Diego State, and Rutgers.
After an intense recruiting process, Jackson committed to the Connecticut Huskies before his freshman season. He went on to average 8.1 points and 3.8 rebounds, but ultimately wasn't happy there. In discussing his decision with ESPN, Jackson made note of a connection he was able to forge with the Lobos' new coach, Paul Weir. He also expressed excitement about playing in front of the loyal fans, playing in a legendary venue, and helping to restore prestige to the program.
Impact of Jackson's decision
While it will be a year before Jackson suits up for the Lobos, his arrival will lend instant credibility to the program Weir aims to build. The team has been a middling squad for the last three years, resulting in Craig Neal's firing. The team should be competitive next season, with three-star recruit Isaiah Chandler coming to town and several more scholarships to hand out.
By the time Jackson is ready to play, Weir will hope to field a postseason-worthy roster capable of competing.
Even though Jackson was a consensus Top 100 recruit the year before, his departure shouldn't hurt UConn too badly. The team will have to withstand a lot of losses before Kevin Ollie's sixth season, though. Steven Enoch transferred to Louisville while Rodney Purvis and Amida Brimah both graduated.
The recruiting class doesn't even crack the Top 75 in the country according to 247 Sports. Point guard Jalen Adams is going to have his work cut out for him if he's going to help the Huskies get back to the NCAA Tournament next season.
