Ian Jackson has been in the spotlight since a very young age because of his basketball excellence. He takes everything in stride and no moment appears too big for the Bronx native, not even returning to New York to join a St. John’s program that has National Championship aspirations.
“I don’t really think pressure is an issue,” Jackson said on Thursday afternoon at St. John’s media day. “I kind of accept pressure.”
But his head coach had a different outlook on the North Carolina transfer joining the Johnnies.
“I was really concerned this summer,” Rick Pitino explained. “I thought this would be too much to handle coming home with all his reputation and the way he was playing at that time.”
“But Ian, without question, is the most improved basketball player. He’s gone from the 10th or the 11th man to one of the top three on the team.”
The on-court talent was never the issue for Jackson during the offseason with the Red Storm, the hardest part was trying to learn what team basketball meant and getting in the film room with assistant coaches after practice to see where he can improve.
“Before I was playing purely off just being talented,” Jackson explained last week after St. John’s scrimmaged inside Madison Square Garden. “Just a talented player playing on my natural ability, but now I’m trying to understand the game more and playing off way more than just my talent.”
It was an up-and-down freshman season with the Tar Heels, averaging 11.9 points per game on 39.5-percent shooting from 3-point range. At times, he looked like the brilliant player many believed would be a ‘one-and-done’ but the inconsistencies were too noticeable for large portions of the year.
“To be able to see what you’re doing wrong and then go out there and correct it and have constant hands-on to keep trying to correct things that you’re doing wrong and keep growing, it’s been great,” he said on Thursday.
“I’ve learned a lot from my short time being here and I’m still learning.”
Transitioning to point guard was a major hurdle for Ian Jackson throughout summer practices after lapses against tight defensive pressure resulted in turnovers. Those issues paved the way for Oziyah Sellers to become the primary ball hander and Jackson to shift off the ball, which is much more natural and comfortable for him.
“I’m really, really excited and happy that he’s evolved into the player that he is today, because it was tough to watch the beginning of the summer,” Pitino added.
Now, Jackson is projected to be the starting shooting guard for the Red Storm when the season begins on November 3.