Ian Jackson is a luminary of NYC hoops and a top basketball player in 2024 class

“Yo, Henny, we out to The Turf.”

“Bet, let’s go.”

That’s the typical text exchange “Henny,” whose real name is Argenys Beato, had with his close friend, Ian Jackson, almost every day at 6 a.m. Henny realized then that his friend was “locked in with this basketball thing" from the work they did on the court.

Beato rebounded hundreds of shots a day for Jackson during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Playing basketball was challenging then; many gyms were shuttered and most outdoor basketball courts in New York City were rimless. One of the few open courts was at “The Turf” in the Edenwald neighborhood of the Bronx.

The Turf was Jackson’s proving grounds before he started high school. His time playing there fueled his ambition of someday playing in the NBA.

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It’s also a part of his journey: how an unknown Bronx basketball player ascended to the No. 2 high school prospect in the 2024 class and the best prospect from New York City in the last 20 years, according to 247Sports.

“It hasn't really hit me yet, I still see myself as the same kid (who) wanted to be one of those top players and just knowing that a lot of work was really going to take me there,” Jackson told USA TODAY Sports. “But now, I’m considered one of those type of players.

“So I stick to my roots and continue to work hard.”

The 6-foot-6 Jackson's work earned him the MaxPreps National Sophomore of the Year, one of the first NIL deals for a New York City high schooler, and college offers from Kentucky, North Carolina, and Kansas.

Jackson, 17, led all-boys high school Cardinal Hayes to the CHSAA city championship and a No. 22 spot on ESPN’s best high school boys' basketball teams for the 2021-22 season. This summer, Jackson played at the FIBA U17 tournament in Spain and was the leading scorer (11.9 points per game) for a loaded gold-medal-winning USA team.

Leaving NYC for greener pastures

Players with any national buzz, let alone the status of arguably the best prospect in the country, are usually not long for the city.

Cole Anthony is the most recent New York City player to transfer outside the state when he was a top prospect three years ago. Some other elite players from the city who attended high schools elsewhere in recent years include Chris McCullough, Jalen Lecque, Maurice Harkless and Terry Larrier.

Kemba Walker and Lance Stephenson are two of the most recent high-level New York City-born players to stay in the city for high school and go on to have success in the NBA.

Jason McCrae, an assistant basketball coach for the New York Rens for four years and New Jersey’s Roselle Catholic High School for two, said basketball players leaving New York City is not a new phenomenon. It’s been happening since at least his playing days in the 90s. McCrae himself left Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn to play at Hudson Catholic for a year in New Jersey.

Transferring is not inherently bad and players leave for their own specific reason, McCrae said. The change is often linked to opportunity and exposure. Some New York City players want to be seen more by teams in specific conferences. Others leave home to prove they can excel against stronger competition.

“I've heard Division I coaches say that they were apprehensive about attending New York City basketball games,” McCrae said. “Due to the violence and due to things that don’t have anything to do with basketball or basketball players.”

Staying home

The temptation to transfer to powerhouses of the likes of Oak Hill Academy (Virginia) or Montverde Academy (Florida) has crossed Jackson's mind and he’s listened to schools’ pitches.

“The thought (of leaving) has definitely been there," Jackson told USA TODAY Sports. "I thought I can be playing at a bigger level, but when I really thought about it to myself, talked to my mom, my coaches, I feel like there's no reason really for me to leave. I just want to stay where I felt like home was, and that’s what Cardinal Hayes is and that’s where I plan on spending the rest of my two years.”

Jackson is an explosive athlete who can get to the rim at will, capably shoot from beyond the arc, and has the potential to be a high-level defender, according to On3, which ranks him as the top player in 2024. The biggest improvements he saw in his sophomore year were the "little things," such as guarding in a team construct.

Jackson likens his game to the Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who led the NBA last season in drives per game (23.9). Joe Lods, head coach at Cardinal Hayes, said his star player is reminiscent of someone else: Dwyane Wade, who played in the NBA from 2003-19 and averaged 22 points per game in his career.

Lods calls Jackson the "total package," which includes his character. He is laid back, smiles a lot, and enjoys joking with friends. Along with being loyal, his high school and AAU teammate Elijah Moore said that Jackson hasn’t let his recruiting profile change how he treats people as he “still keeps it a buck regardless,” taking pictures with fans at a restaurant during a stay in Bentonville, Arkansas, for a tournament.

Jackson is also known for his maturity, which spans back to his upbringing and time as a student at John Philip Sousa Junior High School in the Bronx. He did his own laundry and woke himself up for school, so his mother had more time to rest in the morning.

The Hood Hope

Captain Jack. That is Jackson's on-court persona as a leader and aggressive scorer. That moniker, in fact, originally came from Wiz Kids AAU coach Daman Brown, who called him that because Jackson limped like a pirate with a wooden leg when he experienced growing pains in middle school. He only started playing basketball in sixth grade and was often praying to hear his name called from the bench for the Wiz Kids during AAU tournaments. Jackson’s meteoric rise still shocks him.

“It's crazy, it happened so fast, too,” Jackson said. “I never thought I'd be in this position and be at this level.”

Jackson appreciates the hype and the love he has for his hooping abilities, especially from his New York City contingent. He prides himself in his Bronx roots and knows that NYC has put its faith in him. However, that’s not the only reason he’s called the “Hood Hope.” He’s motivated to use his talents to inspire those from where he’s from and anyone who had their dreams doubted.

Jackson’s presence has had ripple effects on the local basketball community. His on-court success while remaining loyal to his hometown might buck the presumptions about how New York City players get college offers.

“It became kind of trendy for kids to go away and go to prep schools and play in these obscure leagues in these fancy prep schools,” Lods said. "But I think Ian has made it cool again to stay home.

“I think Ian’s biggest effect is he’s showing local kids you don't have to leave the city to get noticed. You don't have to leave the city to get a big-time scholarship.”

‘Make her proud’

Jackson’s stardom is rising, his love for the city remains strong and his drive to one day excel in an NBA jersey oozes whenever he discusses the game.

His motivation to get better also comes from another source: His late grandmother who died last year and never had a chance to see him play in person. Jackson has her photo as his Instagram profile picture.

He exited that dark period after talking to his dad — who lost his mother. Jackson said his dad told him: “Do everything you do for her, Ian, and make her proud.”

As Jackson gets closer to realizing his basketball dreams, he simultaneously elevates the stature of the city known as the “Mecca of Basketball.”

He doesn’t see himself as more significant than anyone but knows deep down that he has something special. That’s the reason he wears No. 11.

“I’m one of one,” Jackson said, struggling to contain his grin. “That’s the real reason. I feel like I’m one of one.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ian Jackson, top HS basketball prospect, bucks trend, stays in NYC