Rick Pitino anoints Ian Jackson as starting point guard for St. John's basketball

The biggest question surrounding the St. John’s basketball team remains who will be the starting point guard but Rick Pitino has his trust in his newly signed standout, North Carolina’s Ian Jackson, to lead the show for the Johnnies.

“We had big shoes to fill at the point. Kadary [Richmond] and Deivon [Smith] were awesome,” he posted on social media on Monday afternoon. “The ball is now in the hands of our next great point [guard]. Let's Go Ian!!!”

Jackson did not play point guard during his only season as a Tar Heel with returning guards RJ Davis and Elliot Cadeu on the roster, but the hope is that he can unlock a new facet of his game under Pitino.

He averaged only 0.9 assists per game at North Carolina but showcased his playmaking and scoring abilities on a consistent basis, averaging 11.9 points on 45.6-percent shooting.

Despite the hope of Jackson transitioning seamlessly to on-ball, St. John’s is still looking to add a traditional point guard in the transfer portal and is hosting Idaho State’s Dylan Darling on a visit.

Still, the addition of Ian Jackson gives the Red Storm one of the most talented rosters in the country after pairing him with its other transfer additions in Arizona State wing Joson Sanon, Providence forward Bryce Hopkins, Stanford guard Oziyah Sellers, and Cincinnati forward Dillon Mitchell.

This is the first time that St. John’s will be entering a season with questions at the point guard position since Rick Pitino took over in Queens after bringing Daniss Jenkins with him from Iona and landing Kadary Richmond last offseason from Seton Hall.

In fact, the Johnnies entered each of the last two seasons with multiple proven ball handlers on its roster with Penn’s Jordan Dingle and Utah’s Deivon Smith.

Now, Pitino will have to navigate the offseason while trying to teach Ian Jackson what being a high-level point guard is all about.