QUEENS, N.Y. (April 21, 2025) – One of the top prospects in the transfer portal and a former top-10 recruit out of high school, Ian Jackson, is returning home to New York City after committing to the St. John’s men’s basketball program on Monday.

A high school phenom in the Big Apple, Jackson spent his freshman season at North Carolina, where he was a 2024-25 All-ACC Freshman Team selection. The explosive guard is currently ranked the No. 7 overall prospect in the transfer portal, according to 247Sports.

“We had big shoes to fill at the point [guard position],” said 2024-25 National Coach of the Year Rick Pitino. “Kadary [Richmond] and Deivon [Smith] were awesome. The ball is now in the hands of our next great point [guard]. Let’s go Ian!”

Jackson shined during his freshman year with the Tar Heels, averaging 11.9 points on 45.6 percent shooting from the field and 39.5 percent shooting from 3-point land in 23.8 minutes per contest. The 6-foot-4 guard was a finalist for the Kyle Macy Freshman of the Year award.

The Bronx native engineered several stellar performances throughout his rookie campaign in Chapel Hill. During a four-game span during the holiday season, Jackson became the first-ever Tar Heel freshman to score 23 or more points in four consecutive games and was named U.S. Basketball Writers’ Association Freshman of the Week during that stretch. He finished the year with eight 20-plus point performances and ranked second on the team in scoring helping UNC to a victory in the NCAA Tournament.

Jackson shot 39.5 from 3-point range and made 60 triples during the 2024-25 campaign. He sank a 3-pointer in 30 of 36 contests and tallied three or more makes from beyond-the-arc in nine games. The Our Saviour Lutheran product was the lone UNC player to make five 3-pointers in three separate games, all on the road in conference play. A dynamic athlete, Jackson ranked second in the country among freshman in transition points, trailing only Texas’ Tre Johnson.

Before arriving in Chapel Hill, Jackson played his senior season at Our Saviour Lutheran in the Bronx. While at OSL, he tallied 23.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.6 steals per game during the 2023-24 campaign. Following his senior season, he competed in several prestigious All-Star games, including the McDonald’s All-American Game, where he went off for 21 points.

Prior to transferring to OSL, he spent three years as a standout for Cardinal Hayes in the Bronx where he recorded over 1,000 points in three seasons from 2020-23. During his junior year, he averaged 19.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists guiding Cardinal Hayes to a Class AA State title. In 2022, he was tabbed the MaxPreps National Sophomore of the Year after logging 19.8 points per game.

No stranger to Carnesecca Arena, Jackson played in the CHSAA Championship game on March 12, 2023 inside the Red Storm’s on-campus home. The standout played all 40 minutes for Cardinal Hayes, recording 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting and six assists in a title game setback to Archbishop Stepinac.

Jackson has represented USA Basketball at numerous events including the 2023 U19 World Cup, 2022 U17 World Championships and 2021 FIBA U16 Americas, where he won a gold medal. He most recently was a member of the 2024 Men’s Junior National Select Team.