Before the world had ever heard of Globetrotter Michael ‘Wild Thing’ Wilson, Michael Jordan, Julius Erving and Vince Carter, Jumpin’ Jackie Jackson defied gravity every time he stepped out onto the court. Jackson is considered by many to be one of the highest jumpers and the greatest dunkers of all time.
A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Jackson started his remarkable career at the famed Boys High, leading his team to the city championship. At Virginia Union, the 6-3 center earned the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association’s Freshman of the Year award. After graduating, Jackson was the 41st pick in the 1962…
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Before the world had ever heard of Globetrotter Michael ‘Wild Thing’ Wilson, Michael Jordan, Julius Erving and Vince Carter, Jumpin’ Jackie Jackson defied gravity every time he stepped out onto the court. Jackson is considered by many to be one of the highest jumpers and the greatest dunkers of all time.
A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Jackson started his remarkable career at the famed Boys High, leading his team to the city championship. At Virginia Union, the 6-3 center earned the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association’s Freshman of the Year award. After graduating, Jackson was the 41st pick in the 1962 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia Warriors. Instead of joining the NBA, Jackson played for the world famous Harlem Globetrotters. He played one season with the team in 1963, before being drafted into the Army. In 1966, Jackson returned to the Globetrotters where he played for 15 seasons.
Jackson was honored on Feb. 9, 2003, at the Harlem Globetrotters game at Madison Square Garden. He passed away on May 4, 2019, in Brooklyn, N.Y.
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