Tennessee forward Rickea Jackson announced on social media today she will return to the Vols for a second season with the program. She previously played her first three seasons at Mississippi State before transferring to Tennessee, where she averaged 19.6 points and 6.2 rebounds this year.
“I have been so happy during my time on Rocky Top,” Jackson led off her post on Instagram. “I am so grateful for my teammates and coaches and the endless bonds that I've created while being here. I appreciate all the support from our amazing fans for making this transition to the University of Tennessee so worth it. But we are not done yet. I'M COMING BACK FOR ANOTHER YEAR.”
Before deciding to return to college basketball next season, Jackson was widely considered to be a top-10 prospect in the upcoming WNBA draft. The incoming rookie class is considered to be one of the more top-heavy drafts in recent memory. Outside of South Carolina's Aliyah Boston going to the Indiana Fever with the first overall pick in April, the next 11 picks are toss ups. ClutchPoints' recent WNBA mock draft has Maryland's Diamond Miller as the clear No. 2 pick going to Minnesota and had Jackson going to the Dallas Wings with the No. 5 pick before her announcement today.
Jackson returning to Tennessee is somewhat of a shock given how deep the 2024 WNBA draft class is going to be. While some players can use their fifth year of eligibility to return to their college programs, Iowa's Caitlin Clark, Stanford's Cameron Brink and LSU's Angel Reese, among others, are stars who could change the fate of a WNBA franchise.
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