By ADAM ZAGORIA
Five-star guard Ian Jackson officially signed his National Letter of Intent with North Carolina on Saturday at his former school in The Bronx, his AAU coach said.
The 6-foot-5 Jackson is a five-star prospect ranked the No. 4 shooting guard in the Class of 2024, per 247Sports.com. He is the third member of his class at Carolina to sign this week, following big man James Brown and shooting guard Drake Powell.
“I’m 100% committed as a Tar Heel and as soon as the school year is over I’m getting there as soon as I can,” he told 247Sports ahead of the signing.
Jackson committed to North Carolina over Kentucky and others in January, but after Rick Pitino took the St. John’s job in March, rumblings began that Jackson might flip and stay home in New York at the Big East school.
When Jackson last season was still at Cardinal Hayes High School — the alma mater of former Kentucky star Jamal Mashburn — Pitino appeared to watch practice, fueling the rumors.
Jackson has been complimentary of Pitino, the 71-year-old Naismith Hall of Famer, but has been steadfast in saying he will play for Hubert Davis at North Carolina.
Recently, Jackson even predicted he would help lead the Tar Heels to an NCAA championship in 2025.
“I’m going to tell you what’s going to happen,” Jackson said on Shake Squad Media’s “Captain Jack: The Ian Jackson Experience” docuseries “I’m going to go UNC. We’re going to win a natty. And I’m out of there. That’s the plan. Natty first. Remember, I called it.”
Jackson visited North Carolina last week ahead of his signing. He told 247 it would be “great” to play with New Jersey native and current North Carolina freshman guard Elliot Cadeau if Cadeau isn’t one-and-done.
He also said he has a close relationship with coach Hubert Davis.
“Coach and I talk almost everyday,” Jackson said. “He taps in with me not even on a basketball level but how I’m doing as a person. That was one of the things Coach Davis did that was different from the rest of the coaches. Him and [Jeff] Lebo check in on me to see how my family is doing and that’s the biggest thing.”
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