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The 2024-2025 season left much to be desired from a program that has a history of being a perennial powerhouse. From a slow start to sweating out Selection Sunday, it was nothing but a roller coaster ride for Tar Heels fans.
With the offseason underway, we will continue analyzing each player's performance over the last season. Next up, Ian Jackson.
The former five-star recruit was one of the most highly sought-after recruits of the 2024 cycle. He was the No. 8 ranked player in the nation with a 247Sports score of 98 overall, becoming the No. 8 highest-ranked player that North Carolina has ever signed out of high school. Here is how his freshman season wound up.
2024-25 stats: 11.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, 0.9 assists per game, 45.6 percent field-goal shooting, 39.5 percent three-point shooting in 36 games
Ian Jackson's season was defined by the term roller coaster. He showed heights that could compared to some of the best freshman and players in the country, but he also showed lows that made you question his ability to become the player he was ranked to be.
North Carolina's struggles this season, as well as Hubert Davis's consistent reshaping of the lineup, rotation, and playing time, didn't help the young freshman to get any sort of momentum going forward, negatively impacting his ability to be consistent.
After just two double-digit games in his first five outings, he finally found his first high-scoring affair in a 23-point night as North Carolina lost the SEC/ACC Challenge at home against Alabama.
It didn't take long for the star guard to get momentum as he strung together six 20+ point games in a seven-game stretch in games against UCLA, Louisville, and Wake Forest. However, after six losses for Hubert Davis at that point, the lineup shifted, and he saw only one 20+ point game the remainder of the season, in a win over Syracuse.
His ability to create shots for himself and shoot a team-high 39.5 percent from behind the arc, made him very relatable to a young RJ Davis, who finished his North Carolina career top-three in all-time scoring.
Similarly to Drake Powell, Jackson went into the offseason with a decision on his hands -- hit the portal, go to the NBA Draft, or return for his sophomore season.
According to a Bleacher Report mock draft, Ian Jackson will go No. 37 in the second round to the Philadelphia 76ers with an NBA comparison to Malik Beasley.
According to the mock draft, "Ian Jackson’s uneven season continued with seven three-point makes against Syracuse and NC State after scoring in single digits in six of his previous seven games.
NBA teams should ultimately have a clear picture of his role, archetype and limitations for the next level. He possesses enough self-creation, strong driving and confident shotmaking to provide instant offense or scoring firepower, but streakiness and zero playmaking lower his value."
Because of the fall in his draft stock, Ian Jackson has hit the transfer portal and will likely return to college basketball for his sophomore season on a team where he can become the focal point. However, that will not be with North Carolina.
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball's Ian Jackson 2024-2025 season review
Continue reading...
With the offseason underway, we will continue analyzing each player's performance over the last season. Next up, Ian Jackson.
The former five-star recruit was one of the most highly sought-after recruits of the 2024 cycle. He was the No. 8 ranked player in the nation with a 247Sports score of 98 overall, becoming the No. 8 highest-ranked player that North Carolina has ever signed out of high school. Here is how his freshman season wound up.
2024-25 stats: 11.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, 0.9 assists per game, 45.6 percent field-goal shooting, 39.5 percent three-point shooting in 36 games
Season in Review
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Ian Jackson's season was defined by the term roller coaster. He showed heights that could compared to some of the best freshman and players in the country, but he also showed lows that made you question his ability to become the player he was ranked to be.
North Carolina's struggles this season, as well as Hubert Davis's consistent reshaping of the lineup, rotation, and playing time, didn't help the young freshman to get any sort of momentum going forward, negatively impacting his ability to be consistent.
After just two double-digit games in his first five outings, he finally found his first high-scoring affair in a 23-point night as North Carolina lost the SEC/ACC Challenge at home against Alabama.
It didn't take long for the star guard to get momentum as he strung together six 20+ point games in a seven-game stretch in games against UCLA, Louisville, and Wake Forest. However, after six losses for Hubert Davis at that point, the lineup shifted, and he saw only one 20+ point game the remainder of the season, in a win over Syracuse.
His ability to create shots for himself and shoot a team-high 39.5 percent from behind the arc, made him very relatable to a young RJ Davis, who finished his North Carolina career top-three in all-time scoring.
What's next?
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Similarly to Drake Powell, Jackson went into the offseason with a decision on his hands -- hit the portal, go to the NBA Draft, or return for his sophomore season.
According to a Bleacher Report mock draft, Ian Jackson will go No. 37 in the second round to the Philadelphia 76ers with an NBA comparison to Malik Beasley.
According to the mock draft, "Ian Jackson’s uneven season continued with seven three-point makes against Syracuse and NC State after scoring in single digits in six of his previous seven games.
NBA teams should ultimately have a clear picture of his role, archetype and limitations for the next level. He possesses enough self-creation, strong driving and confident shotmaking to provide instant offense or scoring firepower, but streakiness and zero playmaking lower his value."
Because of the fall in his draft stock, Ian Jackson has hit the transfer portal and will likely return to college basketball for his sophomore season on a team where he can become the focal point. However, that will not be with North Carolina.
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball's Ian Jackson 2024-2025 season review
Continue reading...
