After weeks of preparation and a standout senior season, former Syracuse forward Rick Jackson did not get picked in the 2011 NBA Draft on Thursday night. Jackson was projected as a late-second round pick in some mock drafts, but did not hear his name called among the 60 players chosen in Newark, N.J.

Seventeen other power forwards were selected in the draft.

Jackson’s father, Rick Jackson Sr., did not return phone calls to The Daily Orange after the draft. The younger Jackson could not be reached through his dad, but posted on Twitter throughout the draft.

Jackson was a three-year starter for the Orange at power forward. He shaved off 30 pounds in the offseason before his senior year to get in better shape. That offseason work led to his best season at Syracuse by far.

As a senior, Jackson led the Big East in rebounds per game (10.3), blocks per game (2.5) and field goal percentage (.588). He also finished second on SU with 13.1 points per contest and was named the Big East Defensive Player of the Year.

Jackson watched the draft on Thursday with friends and family at a Famous Dave’s restaurant in Philadelphia. He worked out for nine different NBA teams in preparation for the draft but still did not here his name called at the draft.

Jackson’s final tweet during the draft came in the middle of the second round after the New Orleans Hornets selected former Kentucky center Josh Harrellson.

Said Jackson: ‘D*** it gotta be room in the league for me somewhere, (shaking my head).’

Unfortunately for Jackson, this may be the wrong year to try and enter the NBA as an undrafted free agent. With a lockout looming, the NBA has cancelled its summer league, which in the past provided a platform for undrafted free agents like Jackson to latch on to a team.

Former SU star Flynn traded to Rockets

One former Syracuse player is heading to a new NBA team, although he already had a job in the league. As part of a draft day deal, Jonny Flynn was dealt by the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Houston Rockets, in a deal that netted Minnesota center Brad Miller along with three draft picks.

The former SU guard heads to Houston along with rookie 7-footer Donatas Motiejunas from Lithuania, who was taken with the 20th pick in the first round by Minnesota and then included in the deal.

For Flynn, the move to Houston could provide a fresh start after an injury-riddled sophomore season in 2010-2011. The point guard played in just 53 games, averaging 5.3 points and 3.4 assists per game. Those numbers come after a rookie season in which he played in all but one of the Timberwolves’ games, averaging 13.5 points and 4.4 assists per game.

The deal also splits up two former SU stars. Forward Wes Johnson, who starred for SU in 2009-2010, was selected fourth in the 2010 NBA Draft by Minnesota and played in 79 games for the team this past season.

zjbrown@syr.edu

mcooperj@syr.edu

Published on June 23, 2011 at 12:00 pm