The Johnnies turned their program around this offseason. It started with the hiring of Hall of Fame head coach Rick Pitino, who has a history in the Big East, with a stint at Providence that included a trip to the Final Four in 1987. Wherever Pitino goes, he wins, as the Hall of Famer has two national championships to his name.
Early in the offseason, it was relatively quiet for St. John's. The program had endured years of mediocrity under Mike Anderson and had just finished a season that started with high expectations but ended with disappointment. So, the university decided it was time for a change and made some big noise with the hiring of Iona coach Rick Pitino. After arriving on campus, Rick had his work cut out for him with a full roster rebuild. Everyone on Mike Anderson’s roster was gone but Joel Soriano, and Pitino emphasized building around the big man who finished second in double-doubles across D1 ball last season. It will be interesting to see how Soriano fits into Pitino's scheme, given that his teams typically have a high-tempo offense.
After deciding to build around Soriano, Pitino's first portal acquisition was Daniss Jenkins, who he brought with him from Iona. While some might doubt Jenkins’ ability to translate his skillset from mid-major to high-major, Rick trusts him, as he averaged 15.6 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 4.9 APG last season. Pairing up the backcourt with him is Penn transfer Jordan Dingle, and man, this guy can hoop. Dingle was the second-highest scorer throughout D1 last season with 23.4 PPG.
The 3-4 spots include UMass transfer RJ Luis and Harvard transfer Chris Ledlum. I could rave about Chris Ledlum all day. He’s a high-production player who averaged 18.8 PPG and 8.5 RPG for the Crimson last season while also seeing an increase in blocks per game. Being from Staten Island, he knows New York-style basketball. Tough as nails.
A key player off the bench for the Johnnies will be UConn transfer and national champion Naheim Alleyne. He played an essential role for the Huskies last year and is a gritty defender that will fit right into Pitino's scheme.
The incoming freshmen are Simeon Wilcher and Brady Dunlap. Wilcher is a top-40 recruit out of Roselle Catholic in Jersey, and let me tell you, that school breeds hoopers. I attended the Roselle Catholic summer camp back in the day, which I credit for significantly improving my game. Along with Wilcher comes Brady Dunlap, a 6-foot-7 small forward out of California who won’t see much action this year in the loaded Red Storm lineup.
St. John's is a top-25 team with a tournament bid on the way. They are in a competitive league, but that's familiar territory for Pitino. Given that it's only his first year, I expect bigger things within the 2-3 year range. For now, a tournament bid should do. The St. John's buzz will return in the Big East’s biggest market and elevate this program as well as the league to new heights.
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