Prized UNC Basketball Recruiting Commit Announces Transfer

Future UNC basketball guard Ian Jackson must want a new challenge in his final year of high school.

UNC basketball recruiting prize Ian Jackson is transferring from prep powerhouse Cardinal Hayes (N.Y.) to Our Saviour Lutheran (N.Y.) for his senior season, national recruiting insider Andrew Slater reported on Thursday afternoon. Our Saviour Lutheran is part of the Overtime Elite League.

Although he'll now play alongside some young professionals in that league, the move should not impact his college eligibility. Instead, it seems the 6-foot-4, 185-pound five-star is just looking to test his game against some older and arguably better competition before entering the ACC next year.

Ian Jackson, an explosive bucket-getter and playmaker known as "Captain Jack" by his teammates and fans, sits at No. 2 among shooting guards and No. 6 overall on the 247Sports 2024 Composite. That makes him the highest-ranked piece to the Tar Heels' three-deep and nationally top-ranked 2024 recruiting class.

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And per 247Sports, Jackson is set to be the highest-rated Tar Heel recruiting prize since Cole Anthony in 2019.

He announced his commitment to UNC head coach Hubert Davis and his staff in mid-January, less than two weeks after returning from his official visit to Chapel Hill.

The other two early 2024 UNC basketball commits are Northwood (N.C.) five-star small forward Drake Powell (No. 10 overall) and Link Academy (Mo.) four-star center James Brown (No. 89).

They can't make their pledges official until the early signing period in November.

Stay tuned to All Tar Heels on SI.com for more UNC basketball recruiting news.