How An Early Mercury Player Began Her Coaching Career

Jackson played 26 games that year, and she started in six of them. She averaged 2.8 points, 2.2 rebounds and an assist. Jackson was waived by the Mercury in 1998, and after that, she did not play for another team.

Jackson gets into coaching

The Mercury forward began her coaching journey, and she was an assistant with VCU. She was with them in 2006, and she stayed with them until 1999. After that, she was a part of Stanford's staff. Jackson continued her journey, and after spending time as an assistant with UCLA and Duke, she became the head coach of Washington.

Jackson coached them for four seasons, and in her first year, the team finished the year with a record of 13-18. Her team regressed after that, as they finished the season with a record of 8-22. Washington improved the following year, as they finished with an identical record to Jackson's first year.

Phoenix's forward spent one more season with Washington, and the team finished 11-17. After that time, she became an assistant at Rutgers. She was there for a few years before joining Miami's staff.

Jackson returned to Duke after that, and fast forward to the present, she is their associate head coach.

The Duke Blue Devils are coached by Kara Lawson, and she has had that role since 2020. Lawson had a long, successful WNBA career, as she played from 2003 to 2015. She was drafted by the Detroit Shock, but she was traded to the Sacramento Monarchs shortly after.

Lawson spent several years with Sacramento, and later on she played for the Connecticut Sun and the Washington Mystics.

Duke has played well under Lawson, and while the Blue Devils are off to a shaky start, they can get back on track. The staff, including Jackson, has a wealth of experience, and that will come in handy throughout the rest of the season.

Jackson has done a great job as an assistant coach and a head coach, and she will continue to add to her legacy.