$1.5M NIL-valued Ian Jackson announces commitment to Rick Pitino's St. John's with 4-word message

Modified Apr 21, 2025 17:32 GMT

NCAA Basketball: Duke at North Carolina - Source: Imagn — $1.5M NIL-valued Ian Jackson announces commitment to Rick Pitino's St. John's with 4-word message - Image Source: Imagn

Ian Jackson has found his new home. The North Carolina guard, who has an NIL valuation of $1.5 million, according to On3, took to Instagram on Monday to share that he's transferring to St. John's.

"Back where it started," his Instagram caption read.

Jackson is a New York City native and will return to the Big Apple to play for Rick Pitino's St. John's. The 6-foot-4 guard is coming off of his freshman season with the Tar Heels, during which he appeared in 36 games, making 12 starts.

The shooting guard came to North Carolina as a five-star recruit and the No. 8 recruit in his class. As a freshman, he put up 11.9 points per game and added 2.7 rebounds and 0.9 assists. Jackson is a solid shooter, averaging 45.6% from the field, including 39.5% from beyond the arc.

NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament First Four-San Diego State at North Carolina - Source: Imagn

Jackson's dynamic skill set, including his excellent scoring from anywhere on the field, made him a prospect for the 2025 NBA Draft. However, the guard determined that he will continue developing his skill set at the college level and become a hometown hero at St. John's.

Ian Jackson's NIL deals

Ian Jackson provides St. John's with a strong shooting guard who has made the most of NIL. His $1.5 million NIL valuation is ranked 17th in college baskeball and 52nd in the NIL 100. The guard's brand deals are sure to bring even more attention to Pitino's already popular squad.

NIL deals for Jackson include Panini America, WME Sports, and Extra Butter. The New York native got his start in the NIL world early and established all of these deals before arriving at North Carolina.

Notably, Jackson has an NIL deal with Adidas. The company has ventured into NIL at the high school level, which is how Ian Jackson got his deal. Jackson, along with three other high-school aged Overtime Elite players, partnered with Adidas in February 2024.

Overtime Elite is a basketball league for rising 16- to 20-year-old players that looks to form promising young stars into future professional players.

“The partnership with Overtime Elite and the integration of these talented young hoopers into the adidas family empowers us to champion the future leaders of basketball and reaffirms our pledge to the sport’s advancement,” Eric Wise, Adidas general manager of global basketball, said.

“We are immensely proud to foster a collaborative environment that not only equips athletes with performance-driven adidas products but propels them to success beyond the court.”

NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament First Four Practice - Source: Imagn

Ian Jackson has established a name for himself on and off the court and will now look to grow his game at St. John's.

About the author

Lindsey Ware is a college sports journalist at Sportskeeda with over five years of experience working with publications such as The News & Observer, The Daily Tar Heel, Triangle Tribune and Cardiac Cane. She has also worked for Major League Baseball, The Holly Springs Salamanders, The Tri-City Chili Peppers, Tuffy Talk, Super Meteors Basketball, Just Good Network and Living Sport.

Lindsey has a Bachelor’s Degree in Media and Journalism from UNC Chapel Hill. Her education allowed Lindsey to gain experience in sports communication, which she honed in internships. Other than being a storyteller and sports fanatic, Lindsey is also a social media and marketing specialist.

Her favorite college team is UNC, although she grew up a N.C. State fan as both of her parents are Wolfpack alumni. Michael Jordan was a huge deal in North Carolina when Lindsey was growing up, and after a summer spent at UNC’s Sports Journalism Camp back in high school, Lindsey was set on being a Tar Heel.

Lindsey's favorite college coach of all time is Roy Williams. During her time attending UNC Chapel Hill and writing for The Daily Tar Heel, Lindsey was lucky enough to meet and speak with Williams a few times. He was like a celebrity on UNC’s campus and was beloved for his coaching style and success with the Tar Heels, accumulating three NCAA championship titles in 18 years.

When not watching or writing about sports, Lindsey enjoys reading, trying new restaurants and coffee shops, and spending time with my friends, family and dog. She also likes to journal, watch movies and paint.

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Edited by Rajdeep Barman