Wayzata's Jackson McAndrew climbs to the top of Minnesota's boys basketball recruiting rankings

Before his breakout AAU season this year, Wayzata standout Jackson McAndrew saw his name blow up in Minnesota basketball circles. All it took was one memorable performance in the Class 4A tournament.

Leading the Trojans to a state title in a 75-71 overtime win over defending champion Park Center, McAndrew went viral with a video of him shaking a defender off the dribble. The between-the-legs and behind-the-back move was especially smooth for a 6-10 player.

Now the No. 1 prospect in the state for the Class of 2024, McAndrew's perimeter game for his size draws comparisons to former Minnehaha Academy 7-footer Chet Holmgren, who was the No. 2 pick in the NBA draft by Oklahoma City last year.

"It was a lot of fun," McAndrew said of his highlight play in the state tournament. "Didn't think people were going to go that crazy. But it gave me a lot of respect and showed people what I can do."

McAndrew hasn't stopped showcasing his elite all-around talent, playing right now for Howard Pulley this AAU season.

Blue-blood programs could come sniffing soon for the four-star McAndrew, who recently took official trips to Xavier, Wisconsin, and Notre Dame. His scholarship offer list also includes Creighton and Illinois.

"He's the No. 1 player in Minnesota in his class and it's not even close," Prep Hoops analyst Ryan James said. "He's rare. And he's the one guy in the class who [has NBA potential]. He has shooting range. He's got 6-10 size. He's got skills and he's got a body that he's going to continue building."

A year ago, McAndrew was a relatively unknown prospect playing behind all-state big man Carter Bjerke on Wayzata's state runner-up squad. Bjerke moved on to St. Thomas last season, so the Trojans needed McAndrew to fill a much bigger role.

McAndrew played alongside St. Thomas recruit Hayden Tibbits to become one of the state's top tandems. But McAndrew saved his best for the end of the season. He exploded for 28 points against Wisconsin recruits Nolan Winter and Jack Robison to beat Lakeville North 79-77 in the Class 4A semifinals and followed that with 25 points in the state championship game vs. Park Center, which included 13 of his team's final 14 points.

"I had to make big plays when my team needed it," McAndrew said.

That eye-opening performance at the state tournament carried over into the spring. In his Nike AAU circuit debut with Howard Pulley in April and May, McAndrew averaged 17 points, six rebounds and shot a blistering 48% from three-point range.

"My confidence has definitely grown," McAndrew said. "We had a great run through the state tournament and won a state championship. That helped my confidence a lot. I've gone into the spring and early summer playing well. I've been able to show people my game and versatility."

McAndrew's father, Steve, won a state title at Fargo South in 1989 and played college basketball at North Dakota from 1989-94. Jackson grew taller than his 6-7 dad early in high school.

"My dad's been helping me since I was really little," McAndrew said. "It's been mainly basketball since I was around the seventh grade."

The Gophers had McAndrew on their radar since his sophomore year, but they never offered and landed a commitment from Alexandria 2024 big man Grayson Grove. McAndrew said he enjoyed his unofficial visit with the Gophers earlier this year, but he's been hearing more from other Big Ten schools.

Former Jefferson two-sport standout Daniel Freitag, who committed to play basketball at Wisconsin, was the state's No. 1 prospect before deciding to transfer to SoCal Academy in California for his senior year.

Freitag and Robison, both committed to the Badgers in the 2024 class, have been working hard to convince their AAU teammate to join them in Madison. But McAndrew seems to be just scratching the surface of where his game and his recruitment could end up.

"I think he's blown up more than anyone in Minnesota," Freitag said. "How he's been playing has been incredible."