UNC first-year guard Ian Jackson (11) takes a shot during the men’s basketball game against Wake Forest during the ACC Tournament on Thursday, March 13, 2025 at the Spectrum Center. UNC won 68-59.
First-year guard Ian Jackson entered the transfer portal on Monday afternoon after one season with the UNC men’s basketball team, according to ESPN.
The former five-star prospect averaged 11.9 points, while recording eight games with 20 or more points. He shot 46 percent from the floor and 40 percent from three. Jackson earned ACC All-Freshman team honors and was a finalist for the Kyle Macy Freshman of the Year award, which is given to the best first-year in Division I.
Although Jackson averaged 4.8 points per game in his last five games with the Tar Heels, he was pivotal during ACC play, averaging 13.5 points per game. He was the only North Carolina player to make five three-pointers in three different games. He was also the only first-year ever to score 23 or more points in a four-game stretch.
Without graduate guard RJ Davis, head coach Hubert Davis will need to look for a shooting guard in the portal. Losing Jackson is critical for a UNC team searching for a backcourt identity.
Jackson becomes the third UNC player to enter the portal this offseason, joining junior forward Jalen Washington and sophomore guard Elliot Cadeau who both entered in late March.
