Spartans Should Chase Elite G From Blue-Blood Program

The Michigan State Spartans are in need of a transfer guard for the upcoming season, and who better to take a shot at than North Carolina sophomore guard Ian Jackson?

Mar 8, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Ian Jackson (11) dribbles in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Michigan State Spartans recently lost junior guard Tre Holloman to the transfer portal and will be in need of another standout, high-scoring guard to fill his role. North Carolina Tar Heels freshman guard Ian Jackson could be a perfect piece to shore up the guard play and make an impact.

Jackson entered the transfer portal on Monday afternoon after just one season with the Tar Heels. The Bronx, New York native is seeking another top program to make an impact with right away. He may be young, but Jackson has shown that he is able to impact games at a high level.

He averaged 11.9 points on 45.6% shooting from the field and 39.5% from 3-point range on 4.2 average attempts. He started 12 of the team's 36 contests, averaging 23.8 minutes for a 23-14 North Carolina team that was bounced in the NCAA Tournament's Round of 64 after a First Four win.

The freshman guard put up 14 points on 5-8 shooting with four rebounds when Jackson and the Tar Heels faced the Spartans in the Maui Invitational in late November. Michigan State pulled out a 94-91 overtime win that would spark a 13-game winning streak.

Jackson scored 20 or more points in eight different contests this past season, showing his big game ability. The Spartans heavily lacked a player that would take over a game with consistently dropping 20 points and being the leader to victory. It is something they require to be a national title team.

After playing at a blue blood program such as North Carolina under a coach like Hubert Davis, the transition to the Spartans program would be fairly easy for Jackson. He has already shown success with pressure on his shoulders at a big-time program and would do the same under Tom Izzo.

This is a guy that could be Michigan State's leading scorer next year if he were to join the Spartans. Even though Izzo is not a huge fan of the transfer portal, it would be extremely beneficial to at least contact Jackson and see what his interest level is to join the Spartans in East Lansing.

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