Lower than three months after committing to North Carolina following the Tar Heels’ unbelievable Remaining 4 run, elite Class of 2023 prospect GG Jackson introduced Thursday evening that he’s de-committing from the Tar Heels. Jackson, who’s ranked the No. 1 total prospect in his class by 247Sports activities, wrote in a social media publish that he intends to “discover different choices.”

Jackson’s announcement adopted a Thursday report from Travis Branham of 247Sports activities indicating that the 6-foot-9 energy ahead is predicted to reclassify to the Class of 2022 and announce his dedication to South Carolina “within the subsequent two weeks.” As a junior at Ridge View Excessive College simply 15 miles from the South Carolina campus final season, Jackson averaged 22.1 factors and 10.9 rebounds per sport whereas incomes South Carolina’s Gatorade Participant of the 12 months honors.

Since his birthday is in December 2004, Jackson will flip 19 within the calendar 12 months of 2023 and due to this fact be eligible — simply barely — for the 2023 NBA Draft if he reclassifies and performs faculty basketball this season. As a possible one-and-done prospect, getting to school basketball a 12 months forward of schedule would permit him the prospect attain the NBA a 12 months sooner than if he stays a part of the 2023 class.

Implications for UNC

Dropping a dedication from a participant of Jackson’s caliber stings for North Carolina, particularly since UNC was thought of Jackson’s “private dream college,” in response to 247Sports activities’ Branham. Together with his dedication and the dedication of five-star guard Simeon Wilcher, the Tar Heels had been off to a superb begin with the Class of 2023.

Even for such a storied program as North Carolina, Jackson was on monitor to be this system’s No. 2 ranked dedication of the 247Sports activities period behind Harrison Barnes. However his resolution to look elsewhere should not be trigger for panic. Second-year coach Hubert Davis has clearly proven the power to recruit, and the speedy future stays extremely vivid for the Tar Heels.

With 4 of 5 starters again from final season’s Remaining 4 workforce and all 13 scholarships crammed for the 2022-23 season, the Tar Heels sit at No. 2 in Gary Parrish’s Prime 25 and 1 and can doubtless be picked to win the ACC. Determining a technique to incorporate Jackson into UNC’s 2022-23 roster from a scholarship and enjoying time standpoint would have been sophisticated, and with Wilcher within the fold, it isn’t as if Jackson’s de-commitment completely wrecks UNC’s 2023 class.