Ready for a newsflash, everyone? Here it is: Jhivvan Jackson is great! Smack dab in the midst of a breakout sophomore season, Jackson is one of the nation's leading scorers and ranks near the top of Conference in points per game. Coming to UTSA via Bayamón, Puerto Rico, Jackson is the product of a celebrated basketball family. He began playing pretty much as soon as he could walk and by the time he hit his teens, he was light years ahead of his on-the-court peers.
He moved with his family to Dallas in seventh grade. By the time he got to high school, he was attending Euless' celebrated Trinity High School where he balled right alongside current Indiana Pacer Myles Turner. When it came time to attend college, we can thank the coaching staff of the Roadrunners for being persistent enough to sway him to take his talents south on I-35.
Since the day he hit campus out on 1604, Jackson has made a steady climb through the Roadrunners record books and is on pace to go down as one of the greatest players in program history. Fresh off an astounding come from behind win over Old Dominion that caught national attention, Jackson took some time to reflect on his career at UTSA, playing for Head Coach Steve Henson, and – one of my favorite topics – eating.
EM: So, Jhivvan, I'm always curious about great athletes and learning at what point they knew they were great. When did you have an idea that basketball was something you had a shot to take pretty far?
JJ: Really when I was in Puerto Rico. I used to play up and I was a little more skilled than most of the guys. After a while, my goal was to play DI basketball. That was my main goal. I wasn't looking to the NBA or nothing, I was just looking to going to a high major. When my Dad moved to Dallas because of his job, I had the opportunity to come over to the States and chases my dreams. And that's what I did.
EM: Did you have anybody in the NBA that you have tried to pattern your game after?
JJ: Yeah for sure. I'm not a guy who has modeled their game after a superstar. I like looking at guards my height that play like me. I really love Lou Williams because I think he takes kinda the same shots I take. He's small, skinny like me. Another guy I liked was Ben Gordon who played for the Chicago Bulls. I also like watching Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum.
EM: When it came time for you to decide where you wanted to go to college, what about UTSA made you want to come here?
JJ: I really came to UTSA because of the coaching staff. They really showed me that they wanted me here. They were the only school that was calling me every day to see how I was, they always checked up on me and school, and gave me tips on how to get better. I felt like they was family right away.
I really believed in the school and the recruiting class we had coming in too. My teammates, the coaching staff, all of that made me want to come here. Coach Henson is probably the best coach I've ever had. He played at the highest level and he actually played really good at that level. He is one of the main reasons I wanted to come here.
EM: Aside from the ODU win, what have been your favorite memories of playing at UTSA so far?
JJ: Other than ODU it's gotta be the win we had against Texas State last year. That one, we also really enjoyed that win we had against UAB last year. That one was really big. Obviously that game-winning shot I had against North Texas. It's all been great really.
EM: Let's shift gears a little bit. I know you're a gym rat, but when you're not practicing and you're not playing and you're not studying, what do you do in your down time? What do you do for fun?
JJ: I like playing video games. I like eating a lot too. I like reading books. Anything fun though, I like doing. I'm a really chill dude. At the end of the day though, my favorite thing is being with my family and being with my friends.
EM: You're speaking my language when you talk about food now. What is your go-to-meal?
JJ: Go to, I'd have to say Italian food or I really like seafood, as well. You give me a good fish and I'll eat it every day. Obviously, home cooking is the best. Cooking from my Mom, cooking from my Dad, that's the best. I don't have a car right now, but there's really a lot of places in San Antonio I'd like to go to and eat eventually.
EM: Last thing for your Jhivvan, what does being a Roadrunner mean to you?
JJ: Man, being a Roadrunner means everything to me. They gave me the chance that I always wanted. I'm gonna ride with UTSA till the end. It's really a blessing to be a Roadrunner.
