Chambana Sun

Illinois women's basketball recruit Destiny Jackson has been honored as the Illinois Girls Basketball Gatorade Player of the Year. This announcement was made on Thursday by the Gatorade organization.

Jackson, a 5-foot-6 guard from Chicago, played for Whitney Young Magnet High School. During her senior year in the 2024-25 season, she averaged 21.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.8 steals per game. She becomes the tenth Gatorade Player of the Year to join the Fighting Illini program and is the fourth from Illinois.

Jackson led her team to a 25-9 record and reached the Class 4A sectional championship game. She is recognized as a three-time First Team All-State selection and was nominated for the McDonald's All-American Game. Ranked as the nation's No. 25 recruit in espnW's Class of 2025 rankings, she ends her high school basketball career with a total of 2,204 points.

The Gatorade Player of the Year award recognizes top high school athletes for their performance on and off the court, including their contributions to their community and academic achievements. Jackson's recognition places her among notable alumni like Candace Parker.

In addition to her athletic accomplishments, Jackson has volunteered at local sports camps for at-risk youth and participated in various community service projects through her church youth group. She has maintained a GPA of 3.08 and will begin attending Illinois this fall.

The Gatorade Player of the Year program selects winners annually from each state across twelve different high school sports categories: football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field.