One of the biggest names in high school basketball will be joining the Tar Heels. Ian Jackson, a 5-star recruit and the No. 2 overall player in the 2024 class according to 247 Sports, announced his commitment to Carolina on Monday afternoon.
Jackson chose UNC over several elite programs around the country, most notably Kentucky and Arkansas. A 6-4 shooting guard from the Bronx, Jackson marks yet another win for Carolina recruiting out of the greater New York area. 2023 signee Simeon Wilcher is from nearby Roselle, N.J., while 2024 commit Elliot Cadeau is originally from Brooklyn. This is to say nothing of current UNC guard R.J. Davis or another of the program’s 2024 targets, Boogie Fland, both of whom are from Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, N.Y.
Jackson took his official visit to Chapel Hill the weekend of January 6 and was in attendance for UNC’s 81-64 win over Notre Dame on January 7. Jamie Shaw, national recruiting analyst for On3.com, describes Jackson as “a high-level athlete.”
“He has long arms, broad shoulders, and explosive athleticism in the paint,” Shaw said. “Jackson has confidence with the ball in his hands, he is decisive in getting downhill to the rim… He has natural athletic tools and the utmost confidence. Jackson can be a high-level defender who gives great effort.”
Jackson is the fourth player in the 2024 class to commit to Carolina, and he joins a trio which was already ranked No. 1 in the country. He and Cadeau are each five-star recruits ranked in the nation’s top 10, while James Brown and Drake Powell are four-star recruits ranked in the nation’s top 50.
With UNC set to be without all of its current starters (Caleb Love, R.J. Davis, Leaky Black, Armando Bacot, Pete Nance) by the 2024-25 season, it’s no wonder that head coach Hubert Davis is intent on reloading in a big way. Carolina still has several offers out to un-committed recruits from the 2024 class, like Fland and five-star forward Jarin Stevenson from Seaforth High School in Pittsboro.
Featured image via Tar Heel Illustrated/Kevin Roy
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