CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – Boston College sophomore guard Donald Hand Jr. earned Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Week honors, and North Carolina guard Ian Jackson notched ACC Rookie of the Week honors, as announced Monday.
ACC men’s basketball weekly honors are nominated by the respective schools and determined by a vote of an 18-member media panel.
Hand Jr. poured in a career-high 29 points to go along with 10 rebounds in Boston College’s home win over Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday, December 28. The native of Virginia Beach, Virginia, knocked down 9-of-20 shots from the floor and was a perfect 9-of-9 from the charity stripe in 34 minutes of action. It was Hand's fourth double-double of the season – most among ACC guards and tied for fourth overall in the league. The 29 points marked a season high by a BC player and was the most in Conte Forum since March 2, 2024 (30 - Quinten Post vs. Pitt).
This marks the first time a father and son were each recognized as an ACC Player of the Week. Hand's father Donald Sr. was named ACC Player of the Week on January 31, 2000, while playing at Virginia.
Jackson made his first college start and scored a season-high 26 points in the Tar Heels’ 97-81 home win over Campbell on Sunday, December 29. He was 9-for-16 from the floor against the Fighting Camels, made three 3-pointers and grabbed five rebounds in a season-high 36 minutes and also was a game-high plus-17. The native of The Bronx, New York, scored 24 in his previous game against UCLA and is the first UNC freshman to score 20 points in consecutive games since Cole Anthony posted 25 at Syracuse and 28 against Wake Forest in 2019-20. Jackson became the 10th Tar Heel freshman to score 24 or more points in consecutive games and the first since Anthony.
2024-25 ACC Players of the Week
Nov. 11 – Jamir Watkins, Sr., G, Florida State; Nijel Pack, Gr., G, Miami
Nov. 18 – Maxime Raynaud, Sr., C, Stanford
Nov. 25 – Cooper Flagg, Fr., G/F, Duke
Dec. 2 – Chucky Hepburn, Sr., G, Louisville
Dec. 9 – Ian Schieffelin, Sr., F, Clemson
Dec. 16 – Matt Cross, Sr., F, SMU
Dec. 23 – Reyne Smith, Sr., G, Louisville; Maxime Raynaud, Sr., C, Stanford
Dec. 30 – Donald Hand Jr., So., G, Boston College
2024-25 ACC Rookie of the Week
Nov. 11 – Kon Knueppel, G/F, Duke
Nov. 18 – Cooper Flagg, G/F, Duke
Nov. 25 – Cooper Flagg, G/F, Duke
Dec. 2 – Jeremiah Wilkinson, G, Cal; Donnie Freeman, F, Syracuse
Dec. 9 – Cooper Flagg, G/F, Duke
Dec. 16 – Brandin Cummings, G, Pitt
Dec. 23 – Cooper Flagg, G/F, Duke
Dec. 30 – Ian Jackson, G, North Carolina