Ian Jackson Signs, is Officially a North Carolina Tar Heel
Ian Jackson in now officially a North Carolina Tar Heel.
The 5-star guard from the Bronx made it official during a signing ceremony Saturday. The ninth-rated player in the Class of 2024 joins No. 8 Drake Powell, a 6-foot-6 wing out of Pittsboro, and No. 63 James Brown, a 6-foot-10 post player from Chicago.
The signatures from the new Tar Heel trio also currently gives Hubert Davis the third-ranked recruiting class in 2024 according to Rivals. They join Duke, Missouri, Kansas, and Rutgers in the top five.
Jackson's signing hasn't come without angst and anxiety from Tar Heel Nation. Despite a commitment all the way back in January, buzz abounded in the grassroots world the past few weeks that Rick Pitino and St, John's were making a major push to flip the local sensation at the midnight hour.
Instead, UNC is getting an explosive, ultra-athletic backcourt player who is as quick-twitch as it comes. His most recent viewing by Rivals occurred in October at the Wooten 150 Camp in Las Vegas.
Rob Cassidy wrote, "Jackson turned in the most impressive performance of the camp’s first day, as the North Carolina commit showed off his usual elite athleticism and ability to play above the rim while also shooting it well from deep and contributing on the defensive end. The 6-foot-5 guard got to his spots with almost no wasted motion and showed some creativity when it came to finishing at the rack. When Jackson’s shot is falling, he’s one of the more complete offensive weapons in high school basketball."
Jackson took his official visit to North Carolina along with his family last weekend. The trip occurred just days before the beginning of the Early Signing Period. Sources with knowledge of the visit and the recruitment described the weekend as very positive and productive. Jackson confirmed his loyalty to the UNC program when he spoke to Tar Heel Illustrated afterwards.
“It went well. It was a good visit, " Jackson told THI. "I got everything answered with Coach Davis and the whole Carolina staff. Everything I wanted to know, I know. Anything I didn’t know, I asked, and they told me. So I know everything I wanted to know.”
When asked about the coaching staff's message to him, Jackson answered, “Just to come in and be myself. Show every aspect of my game from shooting the three, to posting up, passing, defending, blocking, just going in and be myself. Not trying to be something else as a player, but just living up to who I am.”
If one needed more confirmation of Jackson's positivity about the program, his comment to us about the most important thing he took away from the visit should have been the final straw.
"I’m just looking forward to getting there. I just want to get there, play for the coaches, and put on a Carolina uniform and compete. That probably the biggest thing I’m looking for is actually getting on campus, and becoming a Tar Heel at that point, and just get ready for the season, " Jackson explained to THI last Monday night.
Now that he is signed and sealed the only thing that stands between Jackson and permanent residence in Chapel Hill is his senior season at his new school, Our Saviour Lutheran. The Falcons will be playing a very daunting schedule that includes a national slate plus games in the Overtime Elite League.
The season got off to a bang Thursday night against nationally ranked Prolific Prep out of California. Prolific features several players who signed with Power Five programs this week plus A.J. Dybantsa and Tyran Stokes who are the top-ranked players respectively in the classes of 2025 and 2026.
Jackson was electric in the 100-79 upset win. He finished with 32 points, and 8 rebounds, plus an assist, steal, and a blocked shot.
