When Ian Jackson enrolled at the University of North Carolina last year, he was the rated the #8 overall prospect in his freshman class. After a decent, but not dominant freshman season with the Tar Heels (11.9 ppg, 2.7 rebounds per game, 45.6% FG, 39.5% 3-PT in 36 games), Jackson is once again a free agent.
Given the strength of his NBA Draft stock, it is not surprising that he’s left Chapel Hill, NC.
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What’s surprising is that he’s headed to another school, not the draft process.
“Capt. Jack,” as he’s nicknamed, officially entered the portal yesterday, and he’s easily the top shooting guard available. He’s also a top five, maybe top three, overall player available in the portal.
We had an exclusive with Ian Jackson during March Madness, and perhaps the conversation holds some clues, if you read in between the tea leaves, as to where his next destination might be.
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And we’ll analyze all those potential destinations later on right here.
We asked Ian Jackson, during the NCAA Tournament in Milwaukee, what he’s most proud of thus far in his young basketball career.
“My gold medals (at the FIBA U-17 Basketball World Cup and FIBA U-16 World Championship),” he said to The Sports Bank.
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“That’s probably what I’m most proud of, the most special thing for me- to have the USA name across your chest, to compete against Spain, the best 16-year-olds in the world.”
Ian Jackson is a Bronx native, and the bright lights of ‘the capital of the world’ prepared him for the microscope at Carolina (and wherever he’s headed next.
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“Basketball is super important for the city of New York,” Jackson added. “They are highly invested in the sport, to be a part of that experience is huge.”
Jackson also had a chance to play in the best rivalry in all of sports, UNC-Duke, on three occasions this past season.
“The most fun game I’ve ever been a part of, or played in,” he said of the experiences.
“The atmosphere for each game was amazing, everything was great, I enjoyed it!”
