It has been a wild day for the college basketball transfer portal. Just on Monday, two 5-star guards entered the transfer portal, with Baylor's Robert Wright getting things started with a surprising decision. Then, the stunning news came in that North Carolina guard Ian Jackson will also be on the move.
Jackson just wrapped up his freshman campaign with the Tar Heels. Coming out of high school, the Bronx product was ranked five stars, the No. 4 shooting guard in the country and No. 2 player from New York for his class. Could a return to his home state be on the way?
According to the New York Post's Zach Braziller, St. John's is expected to make a move to land the youngster now that he's in the portal. Rick Pitino is coming off a thrilling campaign leading the Big East powerhouse and more good things are on the way. Will Jackson end up being part of the team's future?
Yes, for those asking, St John’s will be involved with Ian Jackson. #sjubb
— Zach Braziller (@NYPost_Brazille) April 7, 2025
St. John's and Rick Pitino will reportedly work to land 5-star UNC transfer Ian Jackson
It didn't even take an hour for Jackson to be linked with Pitino and St. John's? This isn't a stunner, as you've got to assume that Jackson would love the thought of being able to play close to home in front of his friends and family.
The North Carolina fanbase remains quite upset by this update and plenty of people are voicing just how frustrated they are with Hubert Davis. This was a move that not a lot of people in Chapel Hill saw coming. In 2024-25, Jackson averaged 11.9 points and 2.7 rebounds per game.
It felt like he was going to play a huge role for the Heels next season, but we now know that's not going to be the case. Jackson becomes the third Tar Heel to enter the portal this offseason - Elliot Cadeau and Jalen Washington have committed to Michigan and Vanderbilt, respectively.
We're still waiting for Davis to find his Cadeau replacement, with the idea of Wright arriving in town being one that the UNC faithful are hoping will come to fruition. Now, though, Davis will need to find another guard to replace Jackson. Pitino could end up working quickly here too, as he will have an easy sales pitch for the youngster.