Look for Syracuse basketball to ramp up recruitment of these 5-star targets
By Neil Adler
Ian Jackson
Not too long ago, the Orange offered a scholarship to five-star guard Ian Jackson from New York City, who is a serious contender for the No. 1 national ranking in 2024.
The 6-foot-6 Jackson, even more recently, said in two interviews with analysts that Syracuse basketball is presently among the college squads recruiting him the hardest.
Of course, Jackson’s recruiting process could have a way to go, but it’s encouraging to hear that the ‘Cuse coaching staff appears to be making a run at him.
Jackson is a stand-out for Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx, N.Y., which during the 2021-22 stanza was a top-10 team on a national scale, according to some pundits who closely follow high-school hoops.
As a sophomore for Cardinal Hayes, Jackson averaged 19.8 points, five rebounds and four assists per encounter and was named the national sophomore of the year by MaxPreps. That’s impressive stuff.
On the spring AAU circuit, Jackson is suiting up for the Bronx, N.Y.-based Wiz Kids in the Adidas league. During NCAA live periods in grassroots basketball in April, as well as at more recent AAU events, Jackson has proven one of the top all-around performers in his class.
Besides Syracuse basketball, those groups that have offered Jackson include Kansas, UCLA, Oregon, St. John’s, Seton Hall, Oklahoma State, Connecticut, Nebraska, Kansas State and Bryant.
Duke, Kentucky, Florida State, Virginia, Tennessee and Texas Tech, among others, are displaying interest in Jackson.
I’m no recruiting analyst, but I feel comfortable in saying that Jackson will likely receive offers from all of those schools that I just mentioned are showing interest in him, plus many more big-time programs.
All of the main recruiting services rate Jackson as a top-five national prospect in 2024, with several recruiting Web sites putting him at No. 2 overall at this juncture.
Like I said earlier, Jackson will be a significant contender for No. 1 across the country in this cycle.
Jackson has said that he’d like to check out some west coast campuses, such as UCLA and Oregon. Given that he’s from New York City, it would disappoint me if Syracuse basketball coaches weren’t able to get him on the Hill for an official or at least an unofficial visit at some point down the line.