UNC's Ian Jackson not joining Rick Pitino's St. John's will be "surprising" for NCAA analyst
The unexpected entry of Ian Jackson, a former five-star recruit and key player for North Carolina, into the transfer portal ignited a flurry of speculation regarding his next destination. After spending just one season at Chapel Hill, Jackson decided to enter the portal on Monday.
While several programs are vying for his talents, St. John's, under the guidance of Rick Pitino, emerged as the frontrunner in securing his commitment.
In "The Field of 68: After Dark" podcast, analysts Jeff Goodman and Rob Dauster broke down Jackson's possible move to the Red Storm and shared insights into the factors that could go into this decision-making process.
Dauster talked about St. John's long-standing interest, dating back to when Jackson was still a recruit with the Red Storm among the top contenders, along with North Carolina.
He asked Goodman to confirm that smoke continues to point to St. John's as the most likely destination for the freshman guard.
"Yeah, Ian Jackson's going to visit St. John's this weekend," Goodman said on Thursday (0:36). "And again, much like Rob Wright to BYU, I would be surprised if Ian Jackson does not become a St. John's Johnny."
Goodman also talked about Jackson's first year playing for UNC, saying that he had a great three-week stretch, but he went through some freshman difficulties. Goodman added that he may not have been a great fit for the Tar Heels.
"But obviously with St. John's he's going to have some really, really good players around him already," Goodman said. "You look at what they've gotten — Bryce Hopkins, you got Zuby coming back. Ian Jackson can flat-out score. I'd be surprised if he doesn't end up at St. John's."
Recruiting expert Travis Branham explores Ian Jackson's possible landing spot
Travis Branham, a national analyst for 247Sports, suggested that St. John's is the most probable landing spot for Ian Jackson.
During an interview on the "College Basketball Show," Branham claimed that the Red Storm are actively seeking guards to fill the void left by the departures of Deivon Smith and RJ Luis.
"There are other schools still looking for a guard like Jackson," Branham said on Wednesday. "Jackson will have a variety of options, but St John's is still my team to beat."
Branham also believes the Arkansas Razorbacks could be interested in Jackson, as John Calipari tried to recruit him when he was coaching Kentucky. He added that the Wildcats could be in the market for Jackson.