Boston College Basketball: Reggie Jackson Signs Five Year, $80M Deal with Detroit

The Detroit Pistons and former Boston College basketball guard Reggie Jackson have agreed on a new contract. The new deal, according to ESPN, is for five years and is worth $80 million.

With the deal, Jackson will become a regular starting point guard for the first time in his five-year career.

A first round pick in the 2011 NBA Draft (24th overall) by Oklahoma City, Jackson spent the first three years of his career with the Thunder. After dealing with struggles in his first season due to limited minutes, he spent the bulk of the season with Tulsa in the NBA's Developmental League. During the 2012-2013 season, however, backup point guard Eric Maynor tore his ACL, allowing Jackson to step into the backup point guard role behind Russell Westbrook.

Jackson became a starter during the playoffs when Westbrook went down with a meniscus injury against the Houston Rockets, and the former Boston College product flourished. Starting nine of the 11 games played that postseason, he averaged just under 34 minutes, scoring just under 14 points per game with over three assists and five rebounds per contest.

He continued his ascent in 2013-2014, starting 36 of his 80 games. Jackson averaged double figures for the first time in career, scoring 13.1 points per game with four assists and four rebounds per contest, competing in the NBA Skills Contest during the All Star Game weekend. In the playoffs, with the Thunder leading their Conference Quarterfinals series with Memphis 2-1, he scored 32 points in a three-point victory. He added double figures in two other games during the series, both of which OKC won.

He remained a reliable hand in both the Conference Semifinals and Conference Finals rounds, adding double-figure scoring in three games in the six game series win over the LA Clippers and scoring 21 in a five point loss to the eventual world champion San Antonio Spurs.

Last season, with Westbrook still entrenched at the point guard position, Jackson's name began being floated in trade rumors as a potential chip for a blockbuster deal. He was nearly dealt as part of a deal for Brooklyn's Joe Johnson, but ultimately would end up being moved to Detroit in a trade also including the Utah Jazz. He starred for Detroit following the trade, averaging 17.6 points per game with 9.2 assists and 4.7 rebounds (with two triple-doubles) as the full-time starter following the injury to Brandon Jennings. Now he becomes a key piece in the Pistons' rebuilding project.

Jackson is one of two key Eagles moving around the NBA this season after Jared Dudley was traded to Washington to replace Paul Pierce. A former All-ACC selection, Jackson was part of the 2008-2009 Eagle roster that defeated #1-ranked North Carolina on the road en route to the NCAA Tournament. Coming off the bench for all 34 games, Jackson was on the roster with Tyrese Rice, Rakim Sanders, and Vermont transfer Joe Trapani that drew a #7 seed in the national tournament.

In 2009-2010, he averaged double figures per game in an elevated role, but BC struggled through the season and finished under .500 at 15-16. After the season, Al Skinner was fired, with Steve Donahue hired to replace him. After Rakim Sanders transferred in the offseason, Jackson became the focal point of the Boston College offense, being named All-ACC and leading the team to a 19-11 season. That season ultimately ended with a #1 seed in the NIT but a second round loss to Northwestern. To date, it's the last Boston College basketball postseason appearance of any kind. Following the season, Jackson declared himself eligible for the NBA Draft.