Michigan State Lands Top-30 Class of 2017 Forward Recruit Jaren Jackson Jr

Newly inducted Hall of Famer Tom Izzo landed his first commitment for the Class of 2017 when Jeran Jackson, a 6-10 power forward out of La Lumiere School in La Porte, Indiana, chose the Spartans over Maryland, Georgetown, Notre Dame and Purdue on Thursday morning.

Last season as a junior, Jackson averaged 16.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 4.4 blocks per game while leading Park Tudor to the Indiana 3A semifinals. As a freshman and sophomore he helped lead the school to the 2A state crown. The Indianapolis native, who transferred to La Lumiere over the summer, committed on social media today to coincide with his 17th birthday .

More from the Lansing State Journal:Ā 

Itā€™s easy to spot why major colleges around the country have chased Jaren Jackson Jr. The long frame, the massive wingspan, his versatility as a basketball player.

 

Itā€™s just as quick with a short conversation off the court to understand why Tom Izzo wanted to bring the five-star recruit into his program.

 

ā€œYou look at the big perspective, which is you want to be pushed. Your main goal is winning games and improving as a person and a player,ā€ said Jackson, who announced on his 17th birthday Thursday morning that he will play for Izzo at Michigan State in 2017. ā€œSo all those things screamed Michigan State.ā€

 

Coming off his best incoming talent haul and a Hall of Fame induction, Izzo continued his recent recruiting run by landing the 6-foot-10, 255-pound Jackson, the son of former NBA player Jaren Jackson Sr. and Womenā€™s National Basketball Players Association director of operations Terri Carmichael Jackson.