Tiffany Jackson, Former Texas Star And WNBA Player, Dies At 37

Tiffany Jackson, an All-American at Texas who went on to play nine seasons in the WNBA, died Monday from cancer. She was 37.

Her alma mater announced Jackson’s death.

“Tiffany had a great career and was an impact player,” said Jody Conradt, who coached Jackson with the Longhorns. “She was recognized for her all-around game and the fact that she was tremendously mobile and could play multiple positions. She was beloved by teammates, and we share in the sadness of her passing.”

Jackson appeared in 123 games (103 starts) for Texas from 2003-07, but her name continues to dot the record book.

She is the only person in Texas women’s basketball history to have 1,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 300 steals and 150 blocks. She is fifth in school history with 1,917 career points, fourth with 1,039 career rebounds, third with 313 steals and seventh with 181 blocked shots.

Jackson was named an All-American in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

The New York Liberty selected her with the fifth overall pick in the 2007 WNBA Draft, and she spent nine seasons in the league, also playing for the Tulsa Shock and Los Angeles Sparks. She averaged 6.2 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.

Jackson was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in September 2015 and, once her cancer was in remission the following May, she played pro basketball in Israel before signing with the Sparks in 2017 for her final season. She retired in 2018 and then spent two seasons as a Longhorns assistant coach.

In April, NAIA program Wiley College in Texas hired her as its basketball coach.

“Coach Jackson became a valued member of the Wildcat family the day she stepped on campus,” said Bruce Peifer, associate vice president of athletics. “She greatly impacted the lives of our young ladies. We send our thoughts and prayers to her family and friends.”

Wiley College plans to honor Jackson at the first women’s home game of the season in November.