NC State’s Trying to Land UNC Guard Transfer Ian Jackson

NC State is trying to enter the sweepstakes for UNC guard transfer Ian Jackson.

According to 247Sports’ Travis Branham, St. John’s is the frontrunner to land Jackson, but NC State could “possibly make a move.”

“I still like St. John’s for Ian Jackson,” Branham said via the College Basketball Show on Tuesday. “That is still the case. The school that I’m looking at aside from St. John’s that could potentially make a move is NC State and Will Wade. However, I still give St. John’s a heavy favorite on this one.”

Jackson took an official visit to St. John’s this weekend and just wrapped up an official visit to Georgia.

If Jackson were to choose to join the Red Storm, he’d be heading back home to New York. That said, NC State General Manager Andrew Slater is also from New York and scouted Jackson during his time with the Oklahoma City Thunder—as well as when he was one of the most prominent high school recruiting analysts in the nation.

As a freshman this year, Jackson averaged 11.9 points per game, shooting 45.6% from the field and 39.5% from three, earning a spot on the 2025 ACC All-Freshman Team.

Currently, 247Sports ranks him as a 5-star prospect in the Transfer Portal, the No. 7 overall player in the portal, and the No. 1 shooting guard.

Coming out of high school, Jackson was a consensus 5-star prospect in the 2024 recruiting class, with Rivals ranking him as the No. 6 player nationally.