CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois Women's Basketball Head Coach Shauna Green has announced the signing of Destiny Jackson to the Fighting Illini program. A native of Chicago, Illinois, Jackson will join the team next season. Jackson made her commitment official by completing a Big Ten Athletics Scholarship Agreement during the National Signing Period.
JACKSON'S HIGHLIGHTS
- 5'6" point guard
- Attends Whitney Young Magnet High School
- Ranked No. 28 prospect in the Class of 2025, No. 6 at her position, and No. 1 in the State by 247Sports
- Five-star ranked No. 25 in ESPNW's HoopGurlz rankings
- 2023-24 AP First Team All-State at a junior
- 2022-23 AP All-State Honorable Mention as a sophomore
- Three-time Chicago Public League (CPL) champion with Whitney Young
- Three-time First Team All-Conference in CPL
- High School Stat Lines:
- 2023-24: 16.6 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 4.0 APG, 3.3 SPG, 0.7 BPG
- 2022-23: 18.0 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.6 APG, 3.6 SPG, 1.2 BPG
- 2021-22: 14.4 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.1 APG, 3.4 SPG, 0.1 BPG
- Born Dec. 12, 2006
- Parents are Quentin Jackson and Teshunda Crockrell
- Three sisters: Madison (Newell), Maliyah, and Deshyria
- Club Team: Example Sports GUAA
- Two-time Elite 24 invitee (AAU)
- Two-time Future 60 invitee (AAU)
- Future 60 Camp MVP (AAU)
- Stephen Curry Camp invitee
- Played with current Illini Mia Zenere on the Example Sports team in 2023
Jackson on why she chose Illinois: "I chose the University of Illinois because it felt like home from the moment I stepped on campus. Growing up in Illinois, I wanted to stay connected to my roots, and Illinois gives me the perfect balance of familiarity and new opportunities. The players and coaches welcomed me like family, and I could feel the support and shared drive in the program. I believe in the vision the coaching staff has for me and for the team, and I'm excited to be part of a program that values me and my potential as both a player and a person."
Coach Green on Jackson: "We are so excited to have Destiny Jackson join our Illini family; she's an elite point guard that hails from the state of Illinois and from Chicago. She brings such a toughness and grittiness to our team which obviously, with two departing point guards, Destiny is going to have a big role to play and be able to take over that point guard position. She has the ability to score at all three levels with her 3-point shot, her mid-range, and her ability to get to the rim. Destiny is a dynamic scorer, a dynamic point guard, who's going to be able to lead our team and someone that I know is going to develop into a great leader. We could not be more excited that she's a part of our family and she has such a bright future here at Illinois with us."
