Lucas: Jackson Raises Game Another Level

By Adam Lucas Prepare for Ian Jackson to say something unexpected.

He is the most highly rated of Carolina's three-man freshman class.

He is from The Bronx in New York City, one of the biggest stages in the game of basketball.

He's played internationally at multiple levels, he hosts his own podcast ("Subscribe to the pod!" he reminds you of his Captain Jack Podcast) and he has endorsement deals.

And yet: "It's not about me," he says when asked about his goals for this season.

After being given a skeptical glance, he explains.

"It's not," he says.

"Individually, yes, I have goals.

But I'm here and it's about the team.

I want to win.

I can't win by myself.

I'm going to help out and do what I have to do to win.

It's about us." And Jackson is going to be a key part of the 2024-25 Tar Heels.

His presence gives Carolina another scorer in the backcourt to pair with RJ Davis .

From the day he stepped on campus for summer pickup, he's shown the ability to get his shot in virtually any situation, including his soon to be trademark power dribble left that leads into a step-back jumper going left.

"Countless hours in the gym on that one shot," he says with a grin.

Jackson's arrival means more than just another scorer.

It also means another Tar Heel who plays with the same edge as RJ Davis , an attitude honed on some of the same New York courts.

Until Jackson's arrival, Davis was the fastest talker on the Tar Heel roster.

Jackson, a rapid-fire speaker, quickly took over that title.

"Not a lot of people down here understand me," he says.

"People say I talk fast and that I have an accent.

I don't think I have an accent.

Is talking fast a New York thing?" Maybe so.

Fortunately for Carolina, Hubert Davis has a bit of New York in his blood from his time with the Knicks, where he spent four seasons of his professional career.

Davis called Jackson on the first day coaches could contact players, and the duo formed an instant connection.

It's very easy to see why the coach and the prospect would have quickly bonded--Jackson has a rare blend of the New York City swagger the head coach loves, mixed with the sincerity and dedication that has already made his most frequent Chapel Hill hangout spot the Smith Center, awaiting yet another workout.

"He gets it," Jackson said of Hubert Davis .

"Playing in New York, he understands that grit, that grind, and the support the city gives to a team." Davis also understood the dynamic backcourt he'd create for the Tar Heels by adding Jackson to a mix that already included the scoring of RJ Davis , the point guard savvy of Elliot Cadeau , and the rapidly improving offensive and defensive prowess of Seth Trimble ("I think he's the best defender in the country," Jackson says).

With the first week of practice now complete, it's fostered some very competitive days in the Smith Center.

RJ Davis , specifically, has been working to help Jackson understand how to slow the game down, but the freshman says every session has been beneficial.

"There are so many guys I get to compete against every day," Jackson says.

"We make each other better.

Iron sharpens iron, and we get after it." Fortunately, Jackson doesn't mind a little competitiveness.

He grew up with five brothers, and wasn't always the tallest or even the best.

So he's accustomed to earning things the hard way.

His nickname, "Captain Jack: The Hood Hope," is a throwback to those days.

"I used to have growing pains in my knees," he says.

"So I walked with a limp.

I walked funny, like a pirate with a wooden leg, so my coach started calling me Captain Jack.

And Hood Hope is about where I'm from.

I'm one of the first people to go to a university at this level from where I'm from.

I'm inspiring some younger kids and maybe even some older kids from where I'm from and giving them some hope." He's been providing that hope for years, earning a reputation in the basketball world before he ever plays a college game.

Now he has even bigger plans.

"Being a Tar Heel is going to push me even further," he says.

"I appreciate being a Tar Heel and everything that comes with it.".

This article has been shared from the original article on goheels, here is the link to the original article.