Ian Jackson entering the transfer portal highlights a bigger problem with Carolina’s roster

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On Monday afternoon, Ian Jackson announced his decision to enter the transfer portal after just one season with North Carolina. Naturally, the news stirred up quite a bit of reaction from fans and analysts alike — mostly because if Jackson was going to make a move, most people assumed it would be to declare for the NBA Draft, not transfer. His departure has sparked concern among the fanbase about what this could mean for recruiting down the line. While I don’t think Hubert Davis is in danger of completely losing his ability to land elite freshmen or portal talent, it’s clear that his roster management needs serious improvement.

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UNC’s backcourt this season featured RJ Davis, Elliot Cadeau, Seth Trimble, and Ian Jackson. But when you dig into that group a little deeper, there’s an issue — Cadeau is a true point guard, Davis plays more as a combo guard, and both Trimble and Jackson are shooting guards. That kind of overlap makes it difficult to settle on a backcourt rotation, and Jackson ultimately became the odd man out — at least until Trimble’s injury opened up more minutes. Personally, I think the team might’ve been better off starting just two guards and running with a frontcourt of Drake Powell, Ven-Allen Lubin, and Jalen Washington. Of course, that didn’t happen for a variety of reasons. But even if it had, you’d still have a situation where a five-star freshman like Jackson would be coming off the bench — not an ideal long-term plan.

Looking ahead to what UNC’s backcourt could’ve been in 2025-26 — had both Jackson and Cadeau stayed — it becomes even more complicated. You’re talking about a group of Jackson, Cadeau, Derek Dixon, Isaiah Denis, and Jonathan Powell. Even without Cadeau in the mix, you’re still left with two combo guards and two shooting guards. And from what I can tell, Dixon and Denis project more as off-ball players than true point guards. That’s a lot of overlap — too many cooks in the kitchen. And this is all before UNC even adds another point guard from the portal, which they’ll almost certainly need to do.

Honestly, I’m not sure how it got to this point. The only explanation that makes sense is that Hubert Davis always expected Jackson to be one-and-done — just like the rest of us did. But that still doesn’t explain why they’ve stockpiled so many guards. Unless something changes, we could be headed for more lineup chaos, especially if Davis doesn’t find a clear direction with how he wants to manage his guard-heavy roster.

So, what’s the takeaway here? Jackson’s decision to transfer is shining a light on a bigger issue — and it’s not necessarily about minutes or NIL money. The transfer portal era has made it more important than ever to manage your roster wisely. Avoiding positional logjams and making sure players are being used in roles that suit them is crucial for keeping them around. That didn’t happen this year, and if things don’t get sorted out, don’t be surprised when another key player hits the portal and fans are left wondering, “How did we lose that guy?

North Carolina guard Ian Jackson has entered the transfer portal, according to multiple reports on Monday.

A five-star prospect from the 2024 recruiting class, Jackson committed to UNC over offers from Kentucky, Arkansas, LSU, and Oregon.

In his freshman season, Jackson played in 36 games with 12 starts, averaging 11.9 points and 2.7 rebounds while shooting 39.5 percent from three-point range. He knocked down 60 total three-pointers, recording multiple threes in 15 different games.

The Tar Heels finished the 2024-25 season with a 23-14 overall record (13-7 in ACC play) and earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament, where they defeated San Diego State in the First Four before falling to Ole Miss in the Round of 64.

Jackson is the second UNC guard to hit the portal this offseason, joining Elliot Cadeau.