Indiana's Trayce Jackson-Davis Named Preseason All-American

Indiana forward Trayce Jackson-Davis was named to the Blue Ribbon Preseason All-American team on Monday. He's joined by Kentucky's reigning National Player of the Year Oscar Tshiebwe, Gonzaga's Drew Timme, North Carolina's Armando Bacot and Houston's Marcus Sasser.

Indiana forward Trayce Jackson-Davis landed on the Blue Ribbon Preseason All-American team on Monday. 

“I’m honored to receive this recognition and am excited about the possibilities that are in front of us,” Jackson-Davis said. “My teammates and I are looking forward to building off the momentum of the end of last season.”

The 6-foot-9, 245-pound forward is entering his fourth season in the Indiana basketball program and second under coach Mike Woodson. The Greenwood, Ind. native is a three-time All-Big Ten player and was named to the Big Ten All-Defensive team and All-Big Ten Tournament team in 2022.

He has started 94 games for Indiana across three seasons, and after averaging above 18 points per game the last two years, Jackson-Davis has a chance to solidify himself as an all-time Indiana great. Entering his fourth season with the Hoosiers, Jackson-Davis is ranked 15th on the all-time Indiana scoring list with 1,565 points, 19th in scoring average at 16.9, ninth in rebounds with 797, seventh in blocked shots at 178, and seventh in field goal percentage at 55.8 percent.

"Trayce has the opportunity to build quite a legacy for himself and our program,” Indiana coach Mike Woodson said. “He’s worked extremely hard this summer and we are counting on him to be a leader by example who sets the tone for everyone else on our team.”

Jackson-Davis is the first Hoosier to earn this honor since Thomas Bryant prior to the 2016-2017 season. Bryant helped Indiana win the Big Ten regular season championship and reach the Sweet Sixteen during the 2015-2016 season, but the Hoosiers failed to make the NCAA Tournament in Bryant's sophomore campaign before he left for the NBA. 

Jackson-Davis entered his name in the 2022 NBA Draft, but he was unable to perform at the NBA Draft Combine after testing positive for COVID-19, which contributed to his decision to return to Indiana. Jackson-Davis will be third leading returning scorer ahead of the 2022-2023 college basketball season, behind Antoine Davis from Detroit and Max Abmas from Oral Roberts.

Joining Jackson-Davis on the 2022-2023 Preseason All-American squad is reigning National Player of the Year Oscar Tshiebwe from Kentucky, Gonzaga's Drew Timme, North Carolina's Armando Bacot and Houston's Marcus Sasser.

Timme is returning for his fourth season at Gonzaga after being a two-time consensus All-American. Bacot –Indiana's opponent in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge on Nov. 30 – is also back for his senior season after falling just short in National Championship game last year. Sasser is seeking a similar sense of revenge in his fourth collegiate season after missing all but 12 games last year with a broken left foot.

Jackson-Davis has earned a hefty amount of personal honors in his three seasons at Indiana, the 2022-2023 season is about far more than individual stats. Indiana is 53-41 overall with a 25-34 record in the Big Ten in Jackson-Davis' three seasons. This year, he’s more focused on winning than setting individual records, and it’s okay if that means scoring less points but winning games.

As Jackson-Davis prepares for a season with expectations higher than his first three, he’s embracing it all.

“I love having expectations and having pressure because we've never had it in the past,” Jackson-Davis said. “Right now I'm focused on a championship.”

Related stories on Indiana basketball: 

• MALIK RENEAU LEARNING FROM TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: Entering his freshman season at Indiana as a five-star recruit, Malik Reneau is taking notes and absorbing all he can through battles against two of the Big Ten's top forwards, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Race Thompson. CLICK HERE
• JACKSON-DAVIS, INDIANA STRIVING FOR OFFENSIVE IMPROVEMENTS: Indiana leaned on the strength of its defense in its first year under Mike Woodson. But with better chemistry and an emphasized offensive focus heading into year two, Indiana – with four returning starters and a top 10 recruiting class – looks to take the next step offensively. CLICK HERE
• JACKSON-DAVIS LEAVING A LEGACY: It became an easy decision for Trayce Jackson-Davis to return to Indiana after a positive covid test kept him from competing at the NBA Draft Combine. And after receiving feedback on how he can improve his game, he's ready to leave a legacy at Indiana. CLICK HERE
• JACKSON-DAVIS RETURNS: Trayce Jackson-Davis has withdrawn from the 2022 NBA Draft and will return to Indiana for his fourth season. With this news, Indiana now has a full roster that includes four returning starters and a top-10 recruiting class. CLICK HERE