Maryland women’s basketball freshman Jordyn Jackson recently chatted with PressBox about living away from home during her high school days, the veteran player she’s learned a lot from and more. The 6-foot-1 wing was the No. 8 overall recruit in the Class of 2026, according to ESPN. Jackson is a native of Old Bridge, N.J., and graduate of The St. James Performance Academy in Springfield, Va.
PressBox: How did you become interested in basketball?
Jordyn Jackson: I first became interested in basketball mainly because my dad, [Johnny], played it when he was younger. I followed my older sister, [Jasmine], who played college basketball at Georgetown and George Mason. We’re 15 years apart, so when I was in kindergarten she was almost about to graduate in high school. I was always around basketball and at her games and stuff like that.
PB: How did Jasmine influence your game?
JJ: I actually moved down in seventh grade to live with her and her husband, Anthony. They’ve just been helping me and training me all throughout my career, basically. She’s had a really big impact on my life so far, especially with basketball — training me, taking me to practice and everything like that.
PB: Do you have any moves you learned from your sister?
JJ: She’s a quick guard. We’re pretty different positions, but probably the jab step because she was really, really quick and she always got defenders with that.
PB: How long did you live with your sister and her husband? Has it made the transition to college easier, considering you had already moved away from home?
JJ: All throughout high school. It’s made the transition relatively easy. My mom and my siblings are all still [up] in Old Bridge, so they’re only like three hours away. I don’t really get homesick as much because I’m kind of used to being away from my siblings. My sister and my brother-in-law are only 30 minutes away. Everyone’s pretty easily accessible.
PB: What have you taken from your experiences with USA Basketball throughout the years?
JJ: Probably to always be grateful for everything. Everybody was good. Everybody had five stars, had a bunch of offers. Minutes aren’t always going to be guaranteed. Always be grateful for what you have. It was a blessing for me to even be there and have on a USA jersey, so just to always move with gratitude.
PB: Why did you choose to come to Maryland?
JJ: I chose Maryland because of the coaching staff and the family environment that they had. When I first stepped on the campus, coach Brenda [Frese] immediately made it clear that I was a priority for them and that if I came here and did what I was supposed to do and worked hard, then I would be able to make an immediate impact. I just think Brenda loves big guards. I’m a big guard, so I think we can do a lot together, a lot of great things.
PB: Who are some of the big guards or wings you like watching?
JJ: I like watching Rickea Jackson. I love watching former Maryland players like Lavender Briggs, Diamond [Miller].
PB: What’s your favorite thing about Maryland so far?
JJ: My favorite thing about Maryland is probably just the community and the fan base that I’ve walked into. When I say family environment, I don’t just mean the team and coaches. I mean all the staff and even all the fans that come to watch our practices daily and our season-ticket holders. I feel like everyone has welcomed me with such big arms. I’m just really grateful and excited to be a part of this family and see what everyone can do with each other — fans, staff, coaches and especially my teammates. I’m excited.
PB: What veteran on the team have you learned a lot from since you’ve been on campus?
JJ: Probably Bri McDaniel. I feel like she’s been really inspirational and just that senior leader that I kind of needed a little bit in some of the earlier practices. I just love the way she handles herself and her confidence and her tenacity on the court. I just think she’s someone that I really look up to on the team and come to for guidance when I’m upset or just struggling to understand something.
PB: Who’s your best friend on the team and what’s a story that underscores your friendship?
JJ: My best friend on the team is probably [freshman center] Eva-Grace Yebila. We’re roommates, actually. She’s from London. I just [messaged] her on Instagram one day when I saw that she committed. I asked her what she was doing. We both were watching the new show “Bridgerton” that’s on Netflix. We just always talked on there, on Snapchat and everything like that. We’ve just kind of been inseparable since.
PB: What advice would you give to younger players looking to play in college?
JJ: Probably just to always stay confident and true to yourself and don’t compare yourself to other players. Social media can have a really big impact on your mental health. If you see someone that’s blowing up on social media or someone that’s posting a lot of their offers, always stay true to yourself. Just stay confident and work on your game and the results will show.
PB: Your Maryland player profile page indicates you want to be a CIA agent. Why is that?
JJ: Honestly, I just watch a lot of movies of CIA agents and government workers. I feel like it’s something that I’m really interested in. I want to potentially major in international [relations]. I just think working for the government in that type of lens would be kind of cool, behind a computer.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Maryland Athletics