Barry to Decide After St. John’s Visit

Remi Barry lives in California but he’s rooting for the Boston Celtics to win the NBA championship on Thursday night.

“I just want them to win because they have Rajon Rondo,” Barry said Wednesday night by phone.

By the time the 6-foot-7, 220-pound Barry boards a plane to New York on Saturday, he will know whether the Celtics or Lakers are world champs.

Barry also hopes to know after his visit whether he will pick St. John’s, UCLA or Arizona State as his college destination.

“I still have no idea,” Barry said. “I’m not going to Arizona State for sure, I’m not going to UCLA for sure. It depends on what’s going to happen this weekend and where I feel most comfortable.”

Barry, a French national from Loomis (Calif.) Del Oro High who is said to have NBA potential, visited Arizona State last weekend and said he had a great time.

“It was great,” he said. “I had such a good time. I had a great feeling with Arizona State. I feel comfortable over there. The coaching staff, I had a good chemistry with the guys over there. They really liked me. I played with them and I did really, really good.”

Arizona State recently got commitments from forwards Kyle Cain of New Hampton (N.H.) Prep and Carrick Felix of the College of Southern Idaho, but Barry said that won’t impact his decision.

“Not at all,” he said.

He has been to New York City before but never to the St. John’s campus.

Barry and new St. John’s coach Steve Lavin have struck up a chemistry and Doc Haynes, Barry’s AAU coach, previously said St. John’s was the “frontrunner” for Barry.

“I had a really good relationship with him,” Barry said of Lavin. “He’s a great guy. He’s a true guy. He won’t lie to you.”

Barry said he plans to decide within a week after the St. John’s visit. He will consult with Chris Hendricks, with whom he lives, and his family back in France.

“I look forward to go to St. John’s and compare to UCLA and Arizona State and then I make my decision,” he said.

As for concerns about whether he’ll be eligible, Barry insists he will.

“I really hope so,” he said. “They [my coaches] hope so, too. We all hope so. No one knows but the NCAA. Hopefully the NCAA will clear me.”

(Photo courtesy YBA Dawgs)

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