Andraya Carter praises Rickea Jackson's versatility, aggressiveness ahead of WNBA Draft

After missing eight games with a leg injury, Rickea Jackson picked up where she left off as the centerpiece of the Tennessee offense. She went on to average 20.2 points this year while shooting 48.5% from the field, and is now a projected lottery pick in Monday’s WNBA Draft.

The numbers are just one part of the story, though, according to ESPN analyst and former Lady Vol Andraya Carter. What makes Jackson such a unique prospect is the way she reaches those stats.

“I think with Rickea, she’s special,” Carter said Thursday on a Zoom call with reporters ahead of the draft. “I was talking to one of our [filmmakers], her name’s Erin Gutierrez, we’re creating a film about Rickea and we were comparing moves. She can make post moves, she can make guard moves. She’s so versatile, and she has the ability to hit tough shots.”

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Jackson came in as the No. 3 overall pick to the Chicago Sky in ESPN’s Michael Voepel’s latest mock draft this week after an impressive season with Tennessee. She started her career at Mississippi State and averaged 20.3 points as a junior in just 15 games before entering the transfer portal.

After committing to Tennessee, Jackson took on a big-time role on Rocky Top under Kellie Harper as the focal point of the offense. She made an immediate impact with 19.2 points in her first season with the Lady Vols and made another jump in 2023-24 despite battling through her injury.

Andraya Carter: Rickea Jackson could ‘have space to operate’ in WNBA

To Carter, the jump to the WNBA could help open Jackson’s game up that much more. She won’t necessarily have to be the No. 1 option at the next level, meaning she can also show off her ability to distribute. After all, she averaged a career-high 2.3 assists out of the post this past season.

“At times, at Tennessee, she was the only option for the Lady Vols – to my angst, at times,” Carter said. “And for her to be on a professional floor with defensive three seconds and players around her where she can have space to operate, I can see her, again, hitting some of those tough shots and being aggressive in moments where she needs to.

“Rickea also has the ability to pass, whether it’s a skip pass or anything like that. I see Rickea, with her shot-making and thinking aggressive, making an impact on a team in the W. Tough shot-making translates, and you would think she’ll have a little more space to operate at the next level.”