Top 3 '24 prospect Ian Jackson receives offer from Kentucky

John Calipari has dished out his first scholarship offer to the rising junior class. Ian Jackson, who is considered the No. 3 overall prospect from the ’24 group according to the On3 Consensus, received an offer from the Kentucky Wildcats on Wednesday, according to multiple reports.

College coaches were not permitted to make individual contact with soon-to-be juniors until 12:01 a.m. EST on Wednesday morning, and Jackson is the first one to earn an offer from the ‘Cats since that period opened up. He has long been considered a top priority for Calipari and could potentially reclassify to the ’23 class before his recruitment is all said and done.

Kentucky has offered 2024 five-star Ian Jackson, he tells @On3Recruits. https://t.co/qSvoeQXRJb
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) June 15, 2022

KSR was able to speak with Jackson during the 20th annual Pangos All-American Camp in Las Vegas earlier this month. During our conversation, Jackson was asked what it would mean to earn an offer from the ‘Cats, a program he called his “dream school.”

“It would mean a lot,” Jackson told KSR. “It would definitely mean a lot, knowing they were one of my dream schools growing up. That’s a school I’ve been looking forward to going to, hopefully going to. That would mean a lot to me.”

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Jackson was one of the top performers in Vegas, making the Top 30 Cream of the Crop Game along the way. Despite showing up late to the event due to a delayed flight, he showed zero signs of rust early on and only got better as the camp went along. Some have compared him to former Wildcat Shai Gilgoeus-Alexander, a player Jackson closely followed growing up.

“From watching Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, he definitely drew me more into that school and that program,” Jackson told KSR. “He made me want to be like him, take things from his game and grow from his game. Seeing the way John Calipari helped him, I think he could help me. We have a similar frame, a similar game.”

There is serious mutual interest on both Jackson and Kentucky’s sides.