St. John's University Athletics
Ian Jackson Named to Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award Top 20 Preseason Watch List
10/28/2025 1:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
New York City native was an ACC All-Rookie Team selection at North Carolina in 2024-25
QUEENS, N.Y.  – St. John's guard Ian Jackson was tabbed to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame's Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award Top 20 Preseason Watch List on Tuesday.Â
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Jackson's recognition marks the third straight season a St. John's player has been selected to the award's preseason watch list joining Kadary Richmond (2024) and Jordan Dingle (2023). The New Yor City native was one of 20 players across NCAA Division I to earn the honor and one of two in the BIG EAST along with Connecticut's Solo Ball.
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The 6-foot-5 sophomore arrives in Queens as one of the most highly-rated prospects in the transfer portal. Jackson was ranked No. 7 by 247Sports and No. 10 according to ESPN as a major part of the Red Storm's top-rated transfer portal class. The guard was named a Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team honoree at the conference's media day last week.
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The Bronx, N.Y., native spent his rookie season at North Carolina, where he was an ACC All-Rookie Team selection and ranked second on a Tar Heels' team that qualified for the NCAA Tournament. A finalist for the Kyle Macy Freshman of the Year award, Jackson averaged 11.9 points per game and recorded eight 20-point performances, with seven of them coming against high-major opponents. The capable shooter shot 45.6% from the field, 39.5% from 3-point range and 72.3% from the charity stripe. Jackson became the first freshman in UNC history to record 23 or more points in four consecutive contests.
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In high school, the New York City phenom was a consensus five-star recruit and the No. 7 prospect in the ESPN Top 100 for the Class of 2024. Jackson was selected as a McDonald's All-American Game participant scoring 21 points in the showcase of the nation's top high school players. He finished his career with Our Saviour Lutheran on Overtime Elite Circuit averaging 23.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.6 steals per game. He played his first three seasons at Cardinal Hayes amassing over 1,000 points.Â
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Jackson joins a Red Storm team that earned its highest preseason ranking in both the Associated Press (No. 5) and USA TODAY Coaches (No. 6) polls and picked to repeat as BIG EAST Regular Season Champions in the preseason coaches. No. 5/6 St. John's will get its regular season underway on Nov. 3 when it welcomes Quinnipiac for a 6:30 p.m. tip-off on FS1.
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Jackson's recognition marks the third straight season a St. John's player has been selected to the award's preseason watch list joining Kadary Richmond (2024) and Jordan Dingle (2023). The New Yor City native was one of 20 players across NCAA Division I to earn the honor and one of two in the BIG EAST along with Connecticut's Solo Ball.
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The 6-foot-5 sophomore arrives in Queens as one of the most highly-rated prospects in the transfer portal. Jackson was ranked No. 7 by 247Sports and No. 10 according to ESPN as a major part of the Red Storm's top-rated transfer portal class. The guard was named a Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team honoree at the conference's media day last week.
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The Bronx, N.Y., native spent his rookie season at North Carolina, where he was an ACC All-Rookie Team selection and ranked second on a Tar Heels' team that qualified for the NCAA Tournament. A finalist for the Kyle Macy Freshman of the Year award, Jackson averaged 11.9 points per game and recorded eight 20-point performances, with seven of them coming against high-major opponents. The capable shooter shot 45.6% from the field, 39.5% from 3-point range and 72.3% from the charity stripe. Jackson became the first freshman in UNC history to record 23 or more points in four consecutive contests.
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In high school, the New York City phenom was a consensus five-star recruit and the No. 7 prospect in the ESPN Top 100 for the Class of 2024. Jackson was selected as a McDonald's All-American Game participant scoring 21 points in the showcase of the nation's top high school players. He finished his career with Our Saviour Lutheran on Overtime Elite Circuit averaging 23.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.6 steals per game. He played his first three seasons at Cardinal Hayes amassing over 1,000 points.Â
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Jackson joins a Red Storm team that earned its highest preseason ranking in both the Associated Press (No. 5) and USA TODAY Coaches (No. 6) polls and picked to repeat as BIG EAST Regular Season Champions in the preseason coaches. No. 5/6 St. John's will get its regular season underway on Nov. 3 when it welcomes Quinnipiac for a 6:30 p.m. tip-off on FS1.
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