Former Lone Peak star Jackson drafted by New Orleans Pelicans


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NEW YORK — Former Lone Peak star Frank Jackson walked up onto the stage at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, a smile on his face and a Charlotte Hornets hat on his head.

Here he was at the 2017 NBA draft. And yet, he wasn't all there, he admitted.

“It doesn’t feel real. I’m here, but it doesn’t feel like I’m here right now," Jackson told KSL Sports after Charlotte drafted him with the No. 31 overall pick Thursday night on behalf of the New Orleans Pelicans. "To go against NBA all-stars and guys I’ve watched for years makes me excited. I’m going to come in, compete — that’s what I do — and look forward to the future.”

It's been a long journey for Jackson, who moved to Utah as a child and attended Lehi as a freshman before becoming one of the top guards in the nation as three-year starter at Lone Peak. The journey took him to Duke and the prestigious college program of head coach Mike Krzyzewski.

And now, it’s taking him to the NBA.

“I’ve been nervous for the past week," Jackson said. "It’s been a fun process. But what great feeling than to stand up and hear your name called — it means the world to me. It can be nerve-wracking at times, but at the end of the day, I’m glad I am here.”

Moments earlier, Jackson recalled the feeling of hearing his name — which was projected to be a first-round pick before falling into the early entries of the second round following a foot injury suffered during pre-draft workouts.

But the moment was all worth it, Jackson said.

“To walk up on this stage, where ever we are at, is something I’ve always wanted to do," he said. "I’m here with my family, and it can’t be better than that.”

In New Orleans, Jackson steps into a team looking for a high-scoring guard alongside two of the better post players in the NBA in Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins.

"It’s going to teach me a lot, and allow me to play off those guys and learn from them," Jackson told the national media. “I'm just super excited to be in this situation, to be part of New Orleans and the organization means the world to me, to be in the NBA. People can expect me to be a fierce competitor, someone who can lead a team, get out and defend, and play my game. I’m super excited to be here, and grateful for this opportunity.”

The 6-foot-4 Jackson played in 36 games, including 16 starts, in his lone season at Duke. He averaged 10.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists while helping the Blue Devils to a 28-9 record and a fifth-place finish in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Prior to that, Jackson’s Lone Peak career included heights not seen in a Utah prep standout in more than a decade. The No. 10 overall recruit by ESPN in 2016, Jackson averaged 28.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists as a senior en route to KSL Game Night Live player of the year, Deseret News Mr. Basketball and Gatorade Utah Player of the Year honors.

“Frank is a local guy who can really score the ball,” said Utah Jazz vice president of player personnel Walt Perrin before the draft, though a foot injury shortened Jackson's pre-draft workout schedule. “He does a good job of handling it, getting to the basket and getting to spots on the floor that a lot of point guards can’t.

“He’s going to have to be able to guard quick and fast point guards, though.”

Jackson took McDonald’s All-American honors, becoming the first Utahn to be selected to the prestigious roster in Chicago since Brighton’s Garner Mead in 2000.

Jackson helped Lone Peak win its fourth-straight state championship — the first 5A school to do so in state history — as a sophomore in 2014 when he averaged 17.9 points a year after transferring from Lehi. He finished his high school career with 2,079 points, the sixth-most in Utah High School Activities Association history at the time.

“I’m very confident in my basketball abilities," Jackson said. "I work my tail off for everything I’ve ever gotten. This has been a lifelong dream of mine, and I want to take it and run with it.”

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