Ashlon Jackson
Jackson with Duke in 2025
No. 3 – Connecticut Sun
PositionGuard
LeagueWNBA
Personal information
Born (2004-01-06) January 6, 2004 (age 22)
Listed height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Listed weight170 lb (77 kg)
Career information
High schoolHardin-Jefferson (Sour Lake, Texas)
College
WNBA draft2026: 2nd round, 23rd overall pick
Drafted byGolden State Valkyries
Playing career2026–present
Career history
2026–presentConnecticut Sun
Career highlights
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata

Ashlon Octavia Jackson (born January 6, 2004) is an American professional basketball player for the Connecticut Sun of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She played college basketball at Duke.

High school career

Jackson attended Hardin-Jefferson. During her freshman year she averaged 17.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game. During her sophomore year she averaged 21.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game.[1] During her junior year she averaged 22.6 points, 5.8 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 4.9 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. During her senior year she averaged 19.4 points, 5.6 assists, 4.3 rebounds, 4.2 steals and 1.5 blocks per game. She led Hardin-Jefferson to three straight state tournament appearances, including the state championship game as a senior. She finished her high school career with 2,683 points, 705 assists, 695 rebounds, 561 steals and 205 blocked shots. She was ranked the No. 16 player in her class by ESPN and selected to compete in the 2022 McDonald's All-American Girls Game.[2]

College career

On January 6, 2021, Jackson committed to play college basketball at Duke.[1] During the 2022–23 season, in her freshman year, she appeared in 33 games off the bench. During the 2023–24 season, in her sophomore year, she averaged 9.2 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.[2]

During the 2024–25 season, in her junior year, she started all 37 games and ranked second on the team in points (460) and scoring average (12.4) and third in assists (78) and three-point shooting (.372). She tied the program single-season record for three-pointers with 87.[2] On November 25, 2024, she scored a career-high 30 points against Kansas State.[3] Following the season she was named to the All-ACC second-team.[2]

Prior to the 2025–26 season, she was named to the pre-season watchlists for the John R. Wooden Award, Naismith College Player of the Year and Ann Meyers Drysdale Award.[4][5][6] During her senior year, she averaged 11.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game. Following the season she was named to the All-ACC first-team by the coaches.[7] On March 27, 2026, during the Sweet 16 of the 2026 NCAA tournament against LSU, she scored the game-winning buzzer-beating three-point shot to help Duke advance to the Elite Eight.[8]

Professional career

WNBA

On April 13, 2026, Jackson was drafted in the second round, 23rd overall, by the Golden State Valkyries in the 2026 WNBA draft.[9] She was waived by the Golden State Valkyries on May 2.[10] On May 6, Jackson signed with the Connecticut Sun on a developmental contract.[11]

Career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game  RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game  BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game
 TO  Turnovers per game  FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 Bold  Career best ° League leader

College

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2022–23 Duke 33 0 13.4 31.5 31.3 75.0 1.0 0.9 0.5 0.3 0.7 3.2
2023–24 Duke 33 33 29.0 38.4 36.2 78.1 2.5 2.6 0.9 0.3 2.1 9.2
2024–25 Duke 37 37 29.0 37.2 37.2 86.8 2.4 2.1 1.0 0.2 1.4 12.4
2025–26 Duke 36 36 33.9 34.3 30.7 81.3 3.3 4.6 1.4 0.4 2.2 11.2
Career 139 106 26.6 36.0 34.2 81.5 2.3 2.6 1.0 0.3 1.6 9.2
Statistics retrieved from Sports-Reference.[12]

References

  1. ^ a b Ramos, Jorge (January 6, 2021). "Hardin-Jefferson Lady Hawks phenom commits to Duke". The Beaumont Enterprise. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
  2. ^ a b c d "Ashlon Jackson". goduke.com. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
  3. ^ "Ashlon Jackson scores career-best 30 points as No. 13 Duke beats No. 9 Kansas State 73-62". KSL.com. November 25, 2024. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
  4. ^ Voepel, Michael (November 18, 2025). "Hidalgo, Betts, Booker, Miles lead '26 Wooden Award watch list". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
  5. ^ "2025-26 Jersey Mike's Naismith Women's Player of the Year Trophy Watch List Presented by AXIA Time". naismithtrophy.com. October 30, 2025. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
  6. ^ "Jackson Selected to Meyers Drysdale Award Watch List". goduke.com. October 28, 2025. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
  7. ^ "ACC Women's Basketball Announces 2025-26 Award Winners". theacc.com. March 3, 2026. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
  8. ^ Feinberg, Doug (March 28, 2026). "NCAA women: Ashlon Jackson's buzzer-beating 3 sends Duke past LSU 87-85 in Sweet 16 battle". The Beaumont Enterprise. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
  9. ^ Friedman, Michael (April 13, 2026). "Ashlon Jackson drafted in the 2nd round of 2026 WNBA draft". kfdm.com. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
  10. ^ "Golden State Valkyries Waive Mariella Fasoula, Ashlon Jackson, Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda, Cate Reese, Miela Sowah and Marta Suárez". Golden State Valkyries. WNBA. April 2, 2026. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
  11. ^ "Connecticut Sun Sign Ashlon Jackson to Developmental Contract". sun.wnba.com. May 6, 2026. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
  12. ^ "Ashlon Jackson College Stats". Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved April 16, 2026.