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Isaiah Jackson is an American professional basketball player born on January 10, 2002, in Pontiac, Michigan. He currently plays for the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Jackson attended high school at Lutheran Northwest in Rochester Hills, Michigan, and played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round, 22nd overall, of the 2021 NBA Draft and later traded to the Pacers. The 6-foot-10-inch forward is known for his defensive abilities, having earned SEC All-Defensive and All-Freshman Team honors during his freshman year.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Age | 23 years |
| Date of Birth | 10 January 2002 |
| Height | 6 ft 10 in (208 cm) |
| Weight | 206 lbs (93 kg) |
| Position | Forward |
| Teams | Los Angeles Lakers, Indiana Pacers |
| High Schools | Lutheran Northwest, Old Redford Academy, SPIRE Academy, Waterford Mott |
| College | University of Kentucky |
| Draft | 22nd pick, 2021 NBA Draft |
| Earnings | $21 million (three-year contract with the Pacers) |
| @isaiahjackson22 | |
| Injuries | Torn right Achilles tendon, calf injury |
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What You'll Learn
Isaiah Jackson's career in the NBA
Isaiah Jackson is a 23-year-old basketball player born in Pontiac, Michigan. He attended high school at Lutheran Northwest in Rochester Hills, Michigan, Old Redford Academy in Detroit, Michigan, SPIRE Academy in Geneva, Ohio, and Waterford Mott in Waterford, Michigan. He later played college basketball for Kentucky, committing to them over offers from Alabama and Syracuse.
Jackson declared for the 2021 NBA draft on March 17, 2021, while maintaining his college eligibility. He was selected with the 22nd pick of the 2021 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers and was then traded to the Indiana Pacers. On October 23, 2021, he made his NBA debut, scoring one point in two minutes of action during a 102–91 overtime win over the Miami Heat. On January 31, 2022, Jackson logged a career-high 26 points, along with ten rebounds and two blocks, in a 122–116 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
On November 1, 2024, Jackson suffered a torn Achilles tendon in a game against the New Orleans Pelicans, which ended his season. He had played in eight games before the injury and was averaging 7.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks in 16.8 minutes per game. However, Jackson has since re-signed with the Pacers, agreeing to a three-year, $21 million contract. He will have a chance to take on a more prominent role in the 2025-26 season due to the departure of Myles Turner.
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Jackson's college basketball career
Isaiah Jackson, born on January 10, 2002, is a professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers. He attended high school at Lutheran Northwest in Rochester Hills, Michigan, Old Redford Academy in Detroit, Michigan, SPIRE Academy in Geneva, Ohio, and Waterford Mott in Waterford, Michigan.
Before turning professional, Jackson played college basketball for the University of Kentucky. As a freshman, he averaged 8.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and an SEC-high 2.6 blocks per game. On December 1, 2020, Jackson recorded seven points, 12 rebounds, and a career-high eight blocks in a loss to seventh-ranked Kansas at the Champions Classic. Jackson's eight blocks were the most by a Kentucky player in a single game since Willie Cauley-Stein in 2013.
Jackson's impressive freshman season earned him SEC All-Defensive and All-Freshman Team honors. On March 17, 2021, he declared for the 2021 NBA Draft while maintaining his college eligibility. He was selected with the 22nd overall pick by the Los Angeles Lakers and subsequently traded to the Indiana Pacers. Jackson made his NBA debut on October 23, 2021, scoring one point in a 102-91 overtime win over the Miami Heat.
In the 2022-23 NBA season, Jackson had a career-high 26 points, along with ten rebounds and two blocks, in a win over the Los Angeles Clippers. However, his 2024-25 season was cut short due to a torn Achilles tendon suffered on November 1, 2024, in a game against the New Orleans Pelicans. Despite this setback, the Pacers extended a qualifying offer to Jackson, and he is expected to play a more prominent role in the 2025-26 season.
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Jackson's contract with the Pacers
Isaiah Jackson, the 23-year-old basketball player, was born on January 10, 2002, in Pontiac, Michigan. He attended Lutheran Northwest in Rochester Hills, Michigan, Old Redford Academy in Detroit, Michigan, SPIRE Academy in Geneva, Ohio, and Waterford Mott in Waterford, Michigan.
Jackson was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers, 1st round (22nd pick, 22nd overall) in the 2021 NBA Draft. He was then traded to the Indiana Pacers, making his NBA debut on October 23, 2021, scoring one point in a 102–91 overtime win against the Miami Heat.
On November 1, 2024, Jackson suffered a season-ending injury, tearing his right Achilles tendon against the New Orleans Pelicans. This restricted him to just eight games in the 2024/25 season.
Despite this setback, Jackson re-signed with the Pacers in July 2025, agreeing to a three-year, $21 million contract. This will be his fifth season with the Pacers, and he is expected to take on a more prominent role in 2025-26 following the departure of Myles Turner. Jackson has averaged 7.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks in 16.8 minutes per game over his five regular-season appearances last year.
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Jackson's injury history
Isaiah Jackson, the 23-year-old Indiana Pacers power forward, has had a notable injury in his career so far.
On November 1, 2024, Jackson suffered a torn right Achilles tendon during a game against the New Orleans Pelicans. The injury occurred in the fourth quarter as Jackson landed awkwardly while trying to block a shot by Brandon Ingram. He was helped off the floor and an MRI later confirmed the tendon tear. Jackson underwent surgery soon after, and the injury ruled him out for the remainder of the season.
This was a significant setback for Jackson and the Pacers, as it restricted him to just eight games that season. However, he was expected to make a full recovery, and being young was an advantage in that regard. By January 2025, Jackson and his teammate James Wiseman, who suffered a similar injury, had rejoined the team and travelled with them to Miami. It was their first trip together since their injuries, and it marked a positive step towards their return to the court.
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Jackson's career highlights
Isaiah Jackson is a 23-year-old basketball player born in Pontiac, Michigan. He is 6'10" (208 cm) tall and weighs 206 lbs (93 kg). Here is a summary of Jackson's career highlights:
College Career
Considered a five-star recruit, Jackson committed to playing college basketball for Kentucky, turning down offers from Alabama and Syracuse. On December 1, 2020, he recorded seven points, 12 rebounds, and a career-high eight blocks in a game against seventh-ranked Kansas at the Champions Classic. This was the most single-game blocks by a Kentucky player since Willie Cauley-Stein in 2013. As a freshman, he averaged 8.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and an SEC-high 2.6 blocks per game, earning him SEC All-Defensive and All-Freshman Team honors.
2021 NBA Draft
On March 17, 2021, Jackson declared for the 2021 NBA Draft while maintaining his college eligibility. He was selected with the 22nd pick by the Los Angeles Lakers and was then traded to the Indiana Pacers.
Indiana Pacers
On October 23, 2021, Jackson made his NBA debut for the Indiana Pacers, scoring one point in two minutes of play during a 102-91 overtime win over the Miami Heat. On January 31, 2022, he logged a career-high 26 points, along with ten rebounds and two blocks, in a 122-116 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Injury
On November 1, 2024, Jackson suffered a torn Achilles tendon against the New Orleans Pelicans, which ended his season after only eight games. He re-signed with the Pacers while recovering and is expected to play a more prominent role in the 2025-26 season.
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Frequently asked questions
Isaiah Jackson is 23 years old. He was born on January 10, 2002.
Jackson made his NBA debut with the Indiana Pacers on October 23, 2021, scoring one point in two minutes.
The Los Angeles Lakers drafted Isaiah Jackson in the 1st round (22nd pick) of the 2021 NBA Draft.
Before being drafted into the NBA, Jackson played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats.
Isaiah Jackson's playing position is forward or small forward.
