DETROIT (6/29/2015) -- The University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball coaching staff is now complete as head coach Ray McCallum announced the hiring of former Titan standout and professional basketball player Jermaine Jackson.
 
Jackson, who received the prestigious John Conti Letterman of Distinction Award on February 8, 2015, will officially begin today (Monday, June 29).
 
"I feel great about Jermaine joining our staff," stated coach McCallum. "I recruited him years ago when I was the head coach at Ball State, where he attended my camps, so I knew what type of talent he had at a young age. He is a hard worker and a very competitive person who is good with kids."

A 2010 Detroit Titan Hall of Fame inductee and two-time All-Horizon League standout, Jackson earned four letters at the University from 1995-99 and is 20th all-time in scoring with 1,341 career points. He is also fifth in school history with 509 assists and ninth tallying 142 steals.
 
"We are very excited to have a former player with a tremendous background join our staff. He understands what it takes to reach the next level and we are happy to welcome him back to his alma mater."

He was named the Horizon League Player of the Year in 1999 after averaging 13.9 ppg., and leading the Titans to a 25-6 record and a HL Championship. In his senior season, the two-time All-League honoree netted a team-high 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds as he helped put Detroit in the national spotlight when the 12th-seeded Titans upset fifth-seeded UCLA, 56-53, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
 
Just a year earlier, he was part of a Titan squad that ended a 19-year NCAA hiatus as the red, white and blue shocked the 10th seed and senior-laden St. John's squad, 66-64.
 
Born and raised in Detroit, the product of Finney High School went on to play in the NBA for five seasons, appearing in 135 games with five teams (Detroit, Toronto, Atlanta, New York & Milwaukee) before taking his career overseas. He also played in the CBA and the USBL as well as in Italy, Greece, Spain, Mexico and Israel. He was also selected to the all-star game while competing in the Israeli Basketball League.
 
In 2012, he opened the Jermaine Jackson-Cairns Community Center in Mount Clemens. The center has after-school tutoring, fitness classes and food assistance programs for those of all ages.