Elmarko Jackson Q&A from the McDonald's All-American Game

On Monday afternoon, Kansas signee and McDonald's All-American Elmarko Jackson spoke to the media.

Q: How does it feel for you, having watched Kansas this past year, watching guys like Gradey (Dick) and other players just explode next year? How excited are you to be there next year?

A: I'm really excited. Just seeing them perform at the level that they do and evolve over the season has been great to watch. I feel like Coach Bill Self does a great job getting the best out of his players and instilling his players with confidence to do the things that they do on the court. So, I feel like he'll definitely get the best out of me next year for sure. So, I'm really excited for that.

Q: What was your reaction to finding out that you were chosen as McDonald's All-American? Run us through that day.

A: I had just got out of practice. We had huddled up, like we usually do around our circle at the center of the court. And my coach, head coach, Coach Chillious broke the news and my team swarmed me. It was all dancing. It was very happy, great moment. It was kind of surreal. I'm still in awe of just being here. It's crazy. It was just a rollercoaster of emotions. I don't even know how to explain it, for real.

Q: Being here, how's the experience compared to what your expectations were, what your hopes were? How's that been being around other guys finally being here after such build up?

A: I didn't really have any expectations coming into it, but the experience here has been out of space. It's great. My favorite experience so far has been going to the Ronald McDonald House and being with the children, just seeing how we could positively impact their day has just been great. That was the best thing to me so far, for sure.

Q: Elmarko, if you could pick one girl on the McDonald's All-American squad to team up with in a two people basketball game, who would you pick and why?

A: I'd probably say Hannah Hidalgo because she's from Jersey. I'm from New Jersey too, so I'd probably say her. Jersey. Okay.

Q: Similarly, what is it about New Jersey that creates such great basketball players?

A: I'd probably say just the grit. Everybody's competitive, nobody's backing down, doesn't matter who you are. You could be a five star in the gym, unranked player, nobody's backing down at all. And I feel like just being from Jersey, as a guard at least, you have a reputation you have to uphold. You can't slack with anything. You got to wear your New Jersey on your chest and you got to represent it proudly. And just carry yourself with a type of aura, so that people know, "This is Jersey."

Q: Is there anyone you modeled your game after, in particular?

A: I'd probably say I grew up watching Kobe a lot, but my favorite player was Jamal Crawford. I'm not as flashy as him, but just the way he moves on the court, it's very elegant, very smooth. So, I'd probably say a little bit of Jamal Crawford.

Q: Have there been any players here who have surprised you so far this week? Players that you've been looking forward to playing?

A: I would say Aaron Bradshaw surprised me, his energy. I haven't really gotten to watch a bunch of his games this year, but his energy on the court is tremendous. I'd say Xavier Booker as well. Putting both of them in pick and roll opportunities with me has just been great. They just draw so much attention, and then it's so easy as a guard to just, if nothing's open, just throw it into them and they just get buckets. It's great having them down there offensively. And then defensively, they create so much space down low where it's just so easy. It just makes the game easy for everybody.

Q: How is the chemistry on the East team been thus far? What can we expect to see tomorrow?

A: The chemistry's been great. I feel like... You know what I'm saying? The groups that we have put together just space the floor really well, share the ball, which is surprising, because most of these all-star events, people are jacking shots. But here's different, we're sharing the ball, everybody's getting assists, touches, showing what they could do. So, it's been great. I don't feel like anybody on the team is being selfish at all. And I feel like it's just making the experience great for everybody.

Q: What are you most looking forward to about playing at the next level?

A: I'm looking forward to just going to battle against a higher level of competition, night in and night out. I've put a lot of work in over the past couple years, so I feel like this is just a really good test for me to see where I'm at, and just see what I need to get better at and just evolve as a player and a person.

Q: Listen, I know obviously, it's the most prestigious event in high school basketball, the McDonald's All-American Game. You're not been there long. But what are you going to take away most from this, when you look back maybe five or 10 years from now, that maybe you necessarily won't get right now? And thank you for your time.

A: Oh, no problem. Thank you. The thing that I'm definitely going to take away from this, is being able to positively help the kids at the Ronald McDonald House. That for sure was like I said earlier, was by far the best event that we've had so far. Just seeing the little kids smile and seeing how we positively impacted them just meant the world to me, made my day, for sure.