'Valiant Fight' On And Off The Court: WNBA's Tiffany Jackson Dies At 37 From Breast Cancer

AUSTIN, TX — WNBA and University of Texas powerhouse Tiffany Jackson died this week after a years-long battle with breast cancer. She was 37.

Jackson is the only person in the history of Longhorns women’s basketball to have reached the combined total of at least 1,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 300 steals and 150 blocks, according to the university.

She was “one of the greatest players in the history of Texas Women’s Basketball,” Head Coach Vic Schaefer said in a post on the university’s website. The Longhorns advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 during Jackson’s freshman year in 2004 and she went on to be a three-time All-American and four-time All-Big 12.

After college, she was chosen by the New York Liberty as the fifth overall pick of the 2007 WNBA draft, according to the university.

“Her years of service in NY helped contribute to the identity of today’s team; and we honor her valiant fight both on and off the court,” the Liberty said in a tweet.

Jackson went on to play for the Tulsa Shock and the Los Angeles Sparks, as well as in the Israeli Winners League, according to Wiley College, where Jackson most recently worked as head women’s basketball coach.

In September 2015, she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer but went into remission about eight months later, according to the University of Texas. She resumed playing in Israel and in 2017 signed with the Sparks. Jackson also became a vocal advocate for cancer awareness and preventative care.

"It was something that wasn't even in my mind, really,” she told ESPN in a 2016 interview. “So I feel like just knowing there is a possibility will help people. I wish I would have known more. I have been talking at schools and colleges about it.”

“Especially with the African American community. Because we aren't getting early checkups as much. So we're being diagnosed when it's stage 3 or stage 4, and we're dying at higher rates. So I've been preaching, preaching, preaching that.”

In 2018, Jackson returned to the University of Texas as an assistant coach and helped develop current WNBA players Charli Collier and Joyner Holmes, according to the university. She joined Wiley College in April and was preparing for her first season before her death Monday.

Jackson got her start at Duncanville High School in Duncanville, Texas, where she received multiple All-American honors and was a member of the 2003 state championship team, according to the University of Texas.

“She was an amazing mother, daughter, friend, teammate and role model for so many,” the Duncanville Pantherettes basketball team said in a tweet.