E
lijah Moore and Ian Jackson had a decision to make. Following three illustrious seasons with Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx where each scored over 1,000 points, the duo was offered to take their talents to a bigger stage — Overtime Elite.
Within the Atlanta-based league, a substantial travel schedule offered more visibility and greater Name, Image, and Likeness opportunities. When considering their next route, one thing was certain: they wouldn’t leave each other’s side.
“They came in and said that they were a package deal,” Cardinal Hayes head coach Joe Lods said. “They were going to stay together or leave together.”
Moore and Jackson chose the latter. From eighth grade through their senior year, the pair created one of the top backcourt tandems in the country across the AAU and high school circuits. They eventually split for college, where Moore is a starter for Syracuse while Jackson is starring for North Carolina. They’ll face for the first time in college when the Orange and Tar Heels match up Saturday.
“It’s a special moment between me and (Jackson),” Moore said. “Growing up with him and us competing together for as long as we did, and now we’re at this stage and we’re going against each other.”
“We helped each other and pushed each other to be great, and we got it done,” Jackson added. “Me and him never thought about playing in the ACC and being able to compete with each other at the highest level. But now it’s here.”
Moore and Jackson landed in the same conference but weren’t always viewed on the same playing field. Jackson, a McDonald’s All-American and the No. 8 player in the 2024 class, per 247Sports, was seen from the outside as the Alpha, Lods said. Moore held his own, too, ranked at No. 59, but was characterized as “the other one” compared to Jackson, said Pete Wehye, their coach at Our Savior Lutheran and Jelly Fam of OTE.
Their personalities only aided the idea of Moore playing second fiddle. Jackson said Moore is a mellow, calm presence, staying more conservative until he gets to know you. Jackson is more outgoing, described by their trainer Brian Harrington as a gregarious figure. At times, Jackson was the Batman to Moore’s Robin.
“I thought (Moore) always had a chip on his shoulder because he didn’t get the attention that (Jackson) got. You could see it,” Lods said. “(Jackson) was the cool guy, and (Moore) was hungry.”
After playing together at Our Savior Luthern in eighth grade and New York Wiz Kids AAU, they both moved on to Cardinal Hayes. As COVID-19 hit in 2020, New York’s restrictions forced Moore and Jackson to train elsewhere.
With the Bronx closed down, Wiz Kids coach Daman Brown drove the two to Connecticut, where they typically trained from 8 a.m. to noon, got lunch together and then returned to the gym.
Ian Jackson’s best game at UNC was when he scored a game-high 27 points against Notre Dame to lead the Tar Heels to a 74-73 win on Jan. 4. Courtesy of UNC Athletics
When the season started and Jackson had an established role, Lods said Jackson vouched for Moore, knowing his potent shooting ability would translate to the varsity level.
Jackson was right. Moore quickly proved he was a varsity player, becoming a starter four games into the year. With 6-foot-8 forward Tobe Awaka down low, Moore’s deadeye shooting allowed the Cardinals to spread the floor. Lods said Jackson was protective of Moore, making sure he got the ball where he wanted it while continuously pouring confidence into him.
“Freshman year, everybody loved (Jackson),” Brown said. “(Jackson) was like ‘Don’t forget about my guy.’”
As sophomores in the 2021-22 season, Moore and Jackson helped the Cardinals to a 26-3 record. Through their playoff run, which ended in a city championship win over Archbishop Stepinac, Moore shot over 70% from beyond the arc, Brown said.
Jackson, a speedy, downhill slasher, and Moore, a lights-out shooter, were the perfect combination to pair in the backcourt. But as their high school years went on, and colleges came calling, it was apparent they needed to revert to each other’s games.
In their junior year, Jackson committed to UNC on Jan. 16, 2023, and Moore made his move to SU less than two weeks later. With one year left of high school and their futures known, the duo decided a change was needed.
They already accomplished what they set out to do — New York CHSAA First Team selections, championships and AAU success. All that was left was to prepare for college. OSL afforded them that opportunity.
Late in summer 2023, just weeks before their senior year began, Moore and Jackson chose to finish what they started at OSL. The school had recently joined OTE, a league for high school players built to forge a path toward professional basketball.
Cole Ross | Digital Design Director
Future NBA players like Alex Sarr, Rob Dillingham and twin brothers Amen and Ausar Thompson have participated since its inaugural 2021 season. Jackson and Moore were next up. At first, it was Jackson’s idea. Moore said he wasn’t sure about it, speculating if it was the right move. But the two made the switch.
“When they transferred and went to OSL, they were both like, ‘We’re going to do this together,’” former Wiz Kids coach Dominique Nute said.
Back with Wehye at OSL, they were a different duo than four years prior. Wehye said the way they criticized each other would be unacceptable to any other teammates. They became “truth tellers” in their senior year.
He often made the teams in practice so the two would match up. They went at each other, trash-talking and critiquing their games. It was brotherly love and competition at the same time.
“When we on that court, it’s war, and they understood how to separate the two,” Wehye said.
The duels in practice also allowed for precise chemistry once facing top-tier competition. Wehye described their bond as “synergy,” saying Moore and Jackson have been inseparable since eighth grade. At times in OTE games, the two would simply nod and be on the same page, knowing a back-door cut or flare to the 3-point line was in play.
With OTE, the duo created their own brands while becoming the faces of Jelly Fam. With his notorious nickname “Captain Jack,” Jackson built an Instagram following of over 220k, became an Adidas-sponsored athlete and has a podcast powered by Overtime.
Elijah Moore rose from the robin to Jackson’s Batman to be a marksman-like shooter with a distinct celebration. Leonardo Eriman | Asst. Video Editor
While often overshadowed by Jackson, Moore’s infamous elbow celebration helped him create his own identity. Known as “Choppa,” his marksman-like shooting ability mixed with a bullseye tattoo on his left elbow has become synonymous with elite shooting, building a brand of nearly 150 thousand followers on Instagram.
Together, the pair headlined the New York City basketball scene. Overtime Chief Growth Officer Tom Weingarten said all of the media team’s posts featured either Moore or Jackson because of their immense popularity. It propelled Jelly Fam to become one of the fastest-growing social media accounts across all Overtime platforms.
Weingartner said the two never felt Moore was in Jackson’s shadow, and the separation came to light as they both came further into the spotlight. The Overtime media team often joked about who would take the last shot if Jelly Fam needed it, knowing that both would answer themselves. In battling for Jelly Fam and their paths to that stage, Jackson and Moore put NYC on their backs.
“(Jackson’s) the epitome of the flashy, big personality New York City player. He wore the crown of New York City,” Harrington said. “Moore is New York with his gritty attitude. Kind of his f-you, go at you on the court type thing.”
Now separated by over 600 miles and out of their home city, Moore and Jackson continuously stay in touch. In a group chat with Nute, Brown, Jackson, Moore and SU women’s basketball player Angelica Velez, the two often praise or critique each other on their recent performances.
Already trash-talking before their first college matchup, Wehye said both plan to use Moore’s elbow celebration in the other’s face after their first 3-pointer. No matter the outcome, the game between Moore and Jackson allows two childhood best friends to take the stage together, soaking in all they’ve gone through together and where they are now.
“That’s my brother,” Jackson said. “He’s grown so much. He’s helped me grow so much.”
“We had a whole bunch of battles together. And prior to those games, it was us battling at practice,” Moore said. “We learned from each other. We both love each other.”
Photograph Courtesy of Moving Pictures
Published on February 13, 2025 at 12:07 am
Contact Aiden at: amstepan@syr.edu | @AidenStepansky
