Darnell Jackson

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Darnell Jackson
College Kansas
Conference Big 12
Sport Basketball
Position Forward
Jersey # 32
Class Senior
Career 2004 – present
Height ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Weight 250 lb (113 kg)
Nationality USA
Born November 7, 1985 (1985-11-07) (age 22)
High school Midwest City HS
Oklahoma City, OK

Darnell Jackson was an American college basketball player who played for the Kansas Jayhawks at the position of forward from 2004 through 2008. He did not become a regular starter until the 2007-2008 season, when he replaced Sasha Kaun in the starting lineup. Jackson, who did not begin playing basketball until the ninth grade [1], was called one of the most improved players in the nation [2] for the 2007-2008 season. He attracted some attention from NBA scouts after several breakout performances, including a 25 point, 9 rebound effort against Boston College. After this performance, he was named the co-winner of the Phillips 66 Big XII Player of the Week. [3]

In 2005, Jackson's sophomore year, Jackson was suspended for nine games for accepting payments from Kansas booster Don Davis, a family friend. [4] This was part of a rough year for him, as his grandmother had been killed by a drunk driver earlier in 2005. After scoring, Jackson often thumped his chest three times. Symbolically, one of the thumps is for Jackson's grandmother, one is for his mother, and one is for Davis. [5]

He played a big role in the Jayhawks' 2008 championship season, leading the team in rebounds and shooting percentage. As of April 2008, some 2008 NBA Draft projections had Jackson being selected in the second round.

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