UNC's Ian Jackson Reportedly Enters Transfer Portal After Elliot Cadeau Exit

After starting point guard Elliot Cadeau transferred to Michigan, UNC's backcourt reportedly took another hit on Monday.

According to On3.com's Pete Nakos, Tar Heels freshman guard Ian Jackson entered the transfer portal.

Jackson was a 5-star recruit in the class of 2024 and the No. 4 shooting guard in the nation in 247Sports' composite. He chose UNC over offers from Arkansas, Kentucky, Oregon and LSU, among others.

During his freshman season for the Tar Heels, Jackson appeared in 36 games with 12 starts and averaged 11.9 points and 2.7 rebounds while shooting 45.6 percent from the field and 39.5 percent from three-point range. He surpassed the 20-point mark eight times this year and was named to the ACC All-Freshman team.

Cadeau had started all 37 games for UNC, which finished with a 23-14 record and lost to Ole Miss in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. He averaged 9.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, a team-high 6.2 assists and 1.1 steals. He told Dushawn London of 247Sports that he transferred to Michigan because "The (Michigan) coaching staff really believes in me and knows what I can do. I want to play in an offense that best suits me and my abilities, with the correct players around me so we can all win."

Losing both Jackson and Cadeau would be a setback for the Tar Heels, but it could be mitigated by the arrival of 5-star power forward Caleb Wilson, who is the No. 6 overall player in the class of 2025 in 247Sports' composite.