When he took the head coaching job at his alma mater, Chris Mullin proclaimed that he wanted the best talent from New York and New Jersey to stay at home and play for St. John’s.
“I think it’s really important that we dominate New York,” Mullin, who played in a charity softball game along with John Franco on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium, said April 1. “If there’s a good player in New York City, he needs to come to St John’s if he wants to play the best basketball.”
This weekend St. John’s will continue to target some of the top local talent in New York and New Jersey when it hosts 15 players in the Classes of 2016, ’17 and ’18.
That group includes 2017 guard Nate Pierre-Louis and 2018s Atiba Taylor, Naz Reid, Louis King and Jahvon Quinerly — all from the Sports U AAU program run by Ed Bright and Brian Coleman, who confirmed the visits to SNY.tv.
The New York Post reported the following visitors as well: Christ the King sophomore point guard Jose Alvarado, highly regarded St. Raymond sophomore forward Sidney Wilson, five-star sophomore forward Mohammed Bamba of Harlem, and Thomas Jefferson four-star guard Shamorie Ponds, one of the top juniors in the area, will be present.
The impressive list also includes four-star sophomore forward Andre Rafus from Baltimore; four-star sophomore guard Quade Green from Neumann-Goretti in Philadelphia; three-star junior guard Nysier Brooks from Life Center Academy (NJ); Christ the King freshman guard Tyrek Chambers; and guard Eric Ayala from Delaware.
The gems of the group may be the 6-foot-9 Reid out of Roselle (N.J.) Catholic and the 6-11 Bamba out of Westtown (Pa.).
Reid recently added offers from Kansas, Syracuse, LSU, Oklahoma, Providence “and a lot more,” he told SNY.tv recently.
Kentucky coach John Calipari also was impressed with Reid when he watched Roselle Catholic play Cheick Diallo and Our Savior New American at the NBA All-Star Game festivities.
Reid recently tried out for the USA U16 team but did not make the final cut.
Bamba holds offers from Kansas, Syracuse, Arizona, UConn, Texas, Villanova, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Penn State, Temple, Seton Hall, James Madison and Yale, and it’s hard to imagine that any college in the country wouldn’t want him on their team.
Meantime, the 6-7 King picked up offers from Syracuse, Villanova, Seton Hall and VCU.
St. John’s has had other young local talent in recently, too, including 2017 Woodstock (CT) Academy guard Hamidou Diallo, who is also being recruited by UConn, Minnesota, Providence, Wake Forest and Syracuse, among others.
White Plains (N.Y.) Archbishop Stepinac wing Jordan Tucker also recently visited along with 2016 Brooklyn Thomas Jefferson guard Shamorie Ponds.
“I liked what [Mullin] had to say,” the 6-7 Tucker told SNY.tv last Saturday at the Mary Kline Classic. “He said the system fit me very well. I know they’re bringing in some developmental coaches to prepare us for the next level.
“If I ever have the option to stay home, that could be one of my good options.”
Tucker also holds offers from Syracuse, Arizona and UConn and others.
“I’m just chillin’ right now,” Tucker said.
MULLIN EXPECTS JORDAN RESOLUTION ‘SOON’
Mullin told reporters at Yankee Stadium he expects a resolution on the Rysheed Jordan situation “soon,” according to the New York Post. If Jordan is academically ineligible, incoming freshman Marcus LoVett will likely run the point.…St. John’s signees Ron M’Vouika, Malik Ellison, Tariq Owens and Darien Williams were also at the softball game, per the Post.
Photo: St. John’s Basketball
