GG Jackson, 5-star forward, decommits from UNC
Five-star forward GG Jackson — the No. 2 overall recruit in the class of 2023, according to the 247Sports composite — is decommitting from North Carolina, he announced on social media Thursday. He reportedly will sign with South Carolina for this coming season. Jackson is the first player in the modern era to decommit from North Carolina.
By doing so, and as long as Jackson graduates from high school this summer, he will be eligible for the 2023 NBA Draft, a year earlier than originally anticipated.
The move comes after weeks of speculation about Jackson’s future, and whether or not he would remain committed to Hubert Davis and the Tar Heels. Davis and his staff landed Jackson’s commitment on April 27, when the South Carolina native chose UNC over Duke and his hometown South Carolina. It was a monumental commitment at the time, considering Jackson was both the highest-rated recruit Davis has landed as head coach, as well as the program’s highest-rated since Cole Anthony in 2019.
Another lurking milestone: Jackson, still in the midst of a meteoric rise, could wind up as the top overall recruit in his class, becoming UNC’s first No. 1 commit since Harrison Barnes back in 2010.
Instead, in the weeks since, rumors have flown about Jackson’s future. Those only intensified when Jackson liked and retweeted a recent On3 report about his potential decommitment.
North Carolina’s coaching staff had sold the 6-foot-9, 210-pound Jackson on playing as a stretch four in Davis’ more perimeter-oriented offense. In that role last season, graduate transfer Brady Manek developed into one of the nation’s best big man shooters, posting career highs in points per game (15.1) and 3-point percentage (40.3 percent). The Tar Heels used their final available scholarship this offseason on Northwestern transfer Pete Nance, who is expected to start and follow in Manek’s footsteps.
In previous conversations with UNC’s staff about reclassifying, Jackson — who doesn’t turn 18 until December — said that he didn’t feel he was physically ready to compete at the college level just yet.
But after Jackson was named MVP of the NBPA Top 100 camp in June — notably, in front of several NBA decision-makers — that sentiment seems to have changed. By reclassifying, Jackson is fast-tracking his path to the first round of next summer’s NBA Draft.
North Carolina, obviously, made its best effort to retain Jackson’s commitment. At the start of July, the busiest month of the recruiting calendar, Davis and his staff visited Kansas City to watch Jackson play on the grassroots circuit. That’s after previously visiting him at home this spring, days before the team arrived in New Orleans for the Final Four. Still, the staff appeared to cover its bases with scholarship offers this week for two other 2023 forwards, TJ Power and Zayden High.
UNC is down to one 2023 commit after Jackson’s decommitment: five-star combo guard Simeon Wilcher, the nation’s No. 14 recruit according to the 247Sports composite.
(Photo of Davis: Bob Donnan / USA Today)
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