Cedric Jackson wants redemption.
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The Hawks import might already boast one of the NBL’s best resumes, but the former MVP’s last stint in the national competition has left him with a sense of unfinished business.
It was 2016 when just 10 games into a two-year deal with Melbourne United, Jackson was released by the now NBL champions.
The 32-year-old hasn’t forgotten.
“I want to redeem myself,” Jackson said. “I wasn’t pleased with the way I played and I was just dealing with injuries, but it is part of the game.
“You have seasons where you might have a low season and you want to come back improve on what you did. But that’s all in the past.
“I am looking forward and I definitely have great momentum coming back into this league after playing with another team back home.
“My mind is clear and I am eager to work.”
Jackson, who won three championships with the New Zealand Breakers, was just as clear about his aspirations for the Hawks franchise for the upcoming campaign.
“I want that championship,” he said.
“That’s one of the main reasons why I am here. That’s what it is all about. If I can share some of my wisdom and learn from the other guys, then hopefully we will all be on the same page and get a crack at it.”
Jackson arrived in Wollongong this week.
He spent the first half of this year helping lift the Yakima SunKings to the title in the North American Premier Basketball League before penning a deal with the Hawks in July. The talented guard was excited by the prospect of working with Hawks coach Rob Beveridge.
“I am eager to learn from him,” he said.
“I have had a couple of conversations with him and he knows a lot about the game.
“He can help enhance my game for the better.
“I am more focused on having a different approach to the game and basically I am just excited to get out there.”
Fellow Hawks import Brian Conklin is expected to arrive in Australia over the weekend, with David Andersen also set to join the squad.