Syracuse Basketball: NYC 5-star recruit vaults to No. 1 in national rankings

A Syracuse basketball five-star recruiting target from New York City has moved to the top spot nationally within his class, according to new rankings from one of the primary recruiting services.

Rivals.com has updated and expanded its top-125 player ratings for the 2024 class, and checking in at No. 1 across the country is five-star guard Ian Jackson.

The 6-foot-6 Jackson, offered a scholarship by the Orange coaching staff in April, recently was selected to the 2022 USA Basketball U17 national team, which will soon compete at the upcoming FIBA U17 World Cup in Málaga, Spain.

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Jackson, who has picked up a few offers from blue-blood programs of late, is a rising junior at Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx, N.Y., which is an excellent squad.

MaxPreps named him the national sophomore of the year during the 2021-22 campaign, and Jackson has proven electric this spring and early summer on the AAU circuit suiting up for the Bronx, N.Y.-based Wiz Kids in the Adidas league.

Syracuse basketball five-star recruit Ian Jackson is an elite talent.

In the new Rivals.com national rankings for his cycle, Jackson moved up two spots to claim the No. 1 overall rating.

When I penned this column, for some context, Jackson was No. 1 nationally according to the industry-generated On3 Consensus, and he was No. 2 overall per the industry-generated 247Sports Composite.

I know that a lot of my fellow ‘Cuse fans are likely to opine that Syracuse basketball has a tiny chance of ultimately landing Jackson, and they could be right.

Then again, in late May, we noted in an article how Jackson had said in several interviews that the Orange was among the programs in consistent communication for him.

Of course, the recruitments of these top-flight prospects will ebb and flow, but I always want to see the ‘Cuse pursue five-stars like Jackson.

Besides Syracuse basketball, other early offers that had come in for him included from Kansas, UCLA, Oregon, St. John’s, Seton Hall, Oklahoma State, Connecticut, Nebraska, Kansas State and Bryant.

Since mid-June, when college coaches could begin directly reaching out to players in the 2024 class, teams such as Kentucky, North Carolina, Arkansas and Pittsburgh have offered Jackson, according to recruiting services.

At this juncture, I’m seeing one prediction on the On3 Web site in the direction of Kentucky for Jackson, whose recruitment could have a way to go. Jackson has also said that he’s open to hearing more about potential pro options.

It would prove terrific if Syracuse basketball could emerge as a significant contender for Jackson. He’s not only ranked No. 1 in the country, but Jackson also hails from New York City.

For the ‘Cuse to truly get back to where it once was as far as recruiting goes (and I acknowledge its six-member 2022 class is a great start), the team has to pick up five-star prospects from NYC such as Jackson.