The St. John’s basketball players have spoken and Ian Jackson and Babacar Sane were voted captains ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Rick Pitino, after saying his players would vote for captains this week at Big East Media Day, announced the news on social media.
Jackson returns to the Johnnies for his second season after transferring from North Carolina. The debut season in Queens for the New York native did not go according to plan as his transition to point guard was not as smooth as the head coach anticipated.
After averaging 9.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game on 40.9-percent shooting from the field and 34.3-percent from 3-point range, Jackson never thought about entering the transfer portal, something that surprised Pitino.
Congrats to this year’s Captains: Ian Jackson and Babacar Sane.
— Rick Pitino (@RealPitino) October 3, 2026
“It was never on my mind,” Jackson explained of transferring. “I always knew that this is where I was meant to be.”
Ian Jackson will be replacing a trio of captains for the Johnnies that included Zuby Ejiofor, Dillon Mitchell, and Sadiku Ibine Ayo, all who have left the program.
“I’ve learned a lot from Zuby. He’s taught me a lot,” Jackson said last week in Manhattan prior to be being voted as a team captain.
“I watched him play, and I picked up a few things to lead the team and understand what it takes to be a leader.”
Since he officially announced his return, Rick Pitino explained that he has made it a point to ensure that Jackson has an incredible season and has said that the junior is one of the best players during fall practice.
As for Babacar Sane, he was a surprise being named as a team captain as he is in the midst of a legal battle to obtain eligibility this season to take the court for the Johnnies.
Sane was ruled ineligible by the NCAA after spending time in the NBA G-League on an Exhibit 10 contract but received a temporary restraining order that runs through November 9, which is the date of his final court hearing, to currently have the ability to play with the Red Storm.
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