Josh Jackson with his mother and grandmother after he received his honorary McDonald’s All American jersey (Photo: McDonald’s All American Game)
It came straight from Josh Jackson’s mouth, to viewers in California and then the college basketball recruiting world.
Asked Friday night on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area to name his finalists, Jackson responded: “Michigan State, Arizona and Kansas.”
Jackson, the nation’s No. 1 prospect according the 247Sports.com composite rankings, also said he hopes to makes his decision in about a month. Originally from Detroit, he moved to California before his junior year to attend and play for Prolific Prep in Napa, Calif.
“It’s been a little rough on me,” Jackson said of his recruitment then. “Kind of stressful. I feel like I’m getting close to making a decision.”
The McDonald’s All American Game is March 30 in Chicago. Jackson and Texas centers Marques Bolden and Jarrett Allen are the lone McDonald’s players who are uncommitted.
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo and associate head coach Dwayne Stephens flew to California to watch Jackson play last weekend. The 6-foot-8 shooting guard has said little in public about his recruitment and has yet to set an official visit to MSU.
But Izzo has been in full pursuit for months and signed members of MSU’s 2016 class have said they talk with him often about joining the class. He is longtime friends with Miles Bridges and Cassius Winston, half of a class currently ranked No. 3 in the nation behind Kentucky and Duke.
Arizona coach Sean Miller came to watch Jackson and Prolific Prep on Friday night for Senior Night.
Contributing: USA TODAY High School Sports
