Interview with Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Kentucky State Jamaal Jackson


Jamaal Jackson will be in his fifth year at Kentucky State University in the 2020-21 season.
During Jackson’s first season with the Thorobreds, he put the SIAC on notice, coaching the conference’s #1 rated offense. During the 2016-17 season, KSU averaged 84.5 points per game and ranked #3 in assists per game at 13.3, leading to two Thorobreds being named to the All-SIAC squad. KSU’s up-tempo offense has been ranked in the top 3 of the SIAC during each of Jackson’s three seasons. During his time at Kentucky State, Jackson has coached 5 All-SIAC Team Members, three BoxToRow.com Division II All-Americans, and one CCA All-South Region Team Member.

Jackson came to Frankfort from Bluefield State College, where he served as Head Men’s Basketball Coach for five seasons. He was hired on the eve of the 2011-2012 season as the Interim Head Coach before being named Head Coach at the conclusion of the season. While at Bluefield State, Jackson coached one member of the WVIAC All-Conference team, three members of the ICAA All-Conference team, one All-ECAC Team Member, and two BoxToRow.com Division II All-American Team Members. Following his year as Interim Head Coach, Jackson increased upon the previous season’s win total during each of his years as Bluefield State College’s Head Coach. During Jackson’s fourth year, Bluefield State finished the 2014-15 season with their highest win total since 1995-96. Jackson’s team also ranked first nationally in fewest turnovers during the 2014-15 season.

Before arriving in Bluefield, Jackson served for three seasons as an assistant coach at Stillman College, before being promoted to the position of associate head coach in the summer of 2011. During Jackson’s first year with the program, the Tigers experienced a six-game win improvement over the previous season. During his second, Stillman experienced a seven-game win improvement over the previous season, as well as the school’s first-ever ranking in the NCAA Division II Top 25. During his third season, Stillman finished with a 24-8 record, which was a 10 win improvement over the previous season. The Tigers advanced to the 2011 NCAA South Regional Championship. While at Stillman, he recruited and coached two All-SIAC Team Members, and one Daktronics and boxtorow.com Division II All-American Team member.

Prior to his stint at Stillman, Jackson was an assistant at Kentucky State University from 2004-2008. While at Kentucky State, Jackson coached the 2008 SIAC Player of the Year. He served as a Student Assistant Coach during the 2000-2001 season, helping the Thorobreds win the 2001 SIAC Tournament Championship and earn a berth in the NCAA National Tournament.

During the 1998-1999 season, Jackson was an intern on the staff of The Ohio State University’s Men’s Basketball Program, as they advanced to the NCAA Final Four.

After graduating from Kentucky State University with a degree in Physical Education, Jackson went on to earn a Master of Arts degree in Teaching Physical Education from the University of West Alabama. He’s a member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches, the National Association for Coaching Equity and Development and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. The 2019-20 season will be the second year of Jackson’s two-year term as the Chair of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference’s Men’s Basketball Coaches Committee. In 2019, Coach Jackson began his term as a member of the NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball South Regional Advisory Committee. In 2012 Jackson was one of 21 coaches selected from a national pool to participate in the NCAA/BCA Achieving Coaching Excellence Program.
Jamaal and his wife Mary, reside in Frankfort, Ky, and have one son and one daughter, Jairus and Laila Rose.