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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Fighting Illini women’s basketball signee Destiny Jackson has been named 2025 Illinois Ms. Basketball, the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association (IBCA) announced on April 4. Jackson played at Whitney Young Magnet H.S. while playing club for Example Sports GUAA.
A five-star guard out of Chicago, Jackson also earned a spot on the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Girl’s High School Player of the Year Preseason Watch List. She is one of five Fighting Illini signees who combined to be the No. 7-ranked class in espnW’s 2025 recruiting rankings.
The 5-foot-6 guard averaged 21.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.8 steals per game as a senior during the 2024-25 season for the Dolphins. Leading her 2024-25 team to a 25-9 record and to the Class 4A sectional championship game, Jackson is a three-time First Team All-State selection and a McDonald’s All American Game nominee. Across her four-year high school career, Jackson averaged 17.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 3.3 steals, and 0.5 blocks, while totaling 2,204 points, 752 rebounds, 445 assists, and 408 steals for Whitney Young Magnet High School.
Jackson joins Tauja Catchings as the only Fighting Illini women’s basketball players named both Illinois Ms. Basketball and Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year. Catchings earned both honors in 1996 before becoming a letterwinner at Illinois from 1997-2000.
