Jackson State has made history again.
On April 15, JSU star Angel Jackson became the second player from an HBCU selected in the 2024 WNBA Draft over the past three years, thanks to the Las Vegas Aces. The previous pick was Ameshya Williams-Holliday, who was drafted by the Indiana Fever in 2022. Williams-Holliday also played at Jackson State. She made history as the first HBCU player drafted into the WNBA in 20 years when she was picked.
“It was a surreal moment,” Jackson told WJTV‘s Blake Levine. “It made me so appreciative that HBCUs are getting back on the map again. All I could do was cry. I called my mom immediately, and she started crying. It was the best moment you could feel.”
Jackson State has not only produced the latest WNBA HBCU draft picks, but the program has dominated SWAC competition for much of the past half-decade. The team is coached by Tomekia Reed, a passionate leader and charismatic recruiter who consistently lands Mississippi’s best high school talent and the most talented players in the transfer portal. Williams-Holliday came to Jackson State from then-SEC powerhouse Mississippi State, and Jackson transferred from the University of Southern California, where freshman sensation Juju Watkins has since stolen the headlines.
Jackson was also a McDonald’s All-American coming out of high school and averaged 10 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game for the Tigers this season. The 6-foot-6 Jackson led JSU to another SWAC championship and generated some impressive highlights, even as the team lost to UConn in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
