Ian Jackson entered the college basketball transfer portal after his freshman season at North Carolina. The former five-star recruit out of Bronx (N.Y.) Our Saviour Lutheran School is a strong candidate to return to his home state and play for Rick Pitino and St. John’s, but Tar Heel rival NC State has entered the mix, according to national basketball analyst Travis Branham. Jackson is the No. 7 overall player and No. 1 shooting guard to enter the transfer portal this offseason.
“I still like St. John’s for Ian Jackson,” Branham said, via the “College Basketball Show” on Tuesday. “That is still the case. The school that I’m looking at aside from St John’s that could potentially make a move is NC State and Will Wade. However, I still give St John’s a heavy favorite on this one.”
St. John’s and NC State both have openings at shooting guard. The Red Storm lost Big East Player of the Year RJ Luis to the portal, while the Wolfpack have as many minutes to offer as any team in the nation as it undergoes a complete rebuilding under new head coach Will Wade.
Jackson earned ACC All-Freshman honors this season, becoming the second Tar Heels player under Hubert Davis (Elliot Cadeau) to receive a spot on the team.
He averaged 11.9 points per game (second on the team) and 2.7 rebounds in 36 games, shooting 45.6% from the field, 39.5% from 3-point range and 72.3% from the free-throw line. He started 12 games — all consecutive — and in those starts, averaged 15.3 points.
“Texas’ Tre Johnson was the only freshman who scored more points in transition than Ian Jackson this past season,” national basketball analyst Isaac Trotter wrote in Jackson’s transfer scouting report. “The 6-foot-4, 190-pound guard is a flash in the open floor, and he shot over 39% from downtown on 152 attempts.
Jackson’s highs were extremely high during Year 1 at North Carolina, but some erratic decision-making shortened the leash as the season progressed.
But the former five-star prospect should be a coveted target in the portal because his scoring flurries were special stuff, and his first step gets defenders shaking. His upside is through the roof if he can clean up the handle and sharpen up the decision-making.”
