This week will be a huge one on the recruiting front for St. John’s coach Chris Mullin and his staff as they look to rebuild the program going forward.
Although the St. John’s Elite Camp was postponed due to facilities issues, Mullin and company will host a slew of big-time recruits beginning Wednesday.
Bryan Antoine and Scottie Lewis, the Class of 2019 stars from the Ranney (N.J.) School and the Team Rio AAU program, will visit campus Wednesday alongside many of their Rio teammates. That group includes Jalen Gaffney, Alex Klatsky, Josh Alexander, Ahmadu Samor, Jake Glezen, Noah Farrakhan, Clarence Nadolny, Dwight Davis, Trey Patterson and Cartier Bowman.
“St. John’s is family,” Lewis told ZAGSBLOG last week at the NBPA Top 100 Camp. “All those guys, Chris Mullin, they treat me really well. They’re in constant contact all the time. I’m definitely expecting a call from Chris Mullin [at midnight]. If I don’t [hear from him] I’ll curse him out when I see him.”
Antoine and Lewis also told ZAGSBLOG they are considering going to the same college and mentioned several schools recruiting both players, including Florida, Maryland and St. John’s. Kentucky coach John Calipari also called both players last week when coaches could begin calling 2019s.
“That’s definitely something me and Bryan talk about every day,” Lewis said. “We go to the same school. We’re on the same team. And we’re in the gym every single day together. Every time after we workout I ask him and he asks me [about pairing up at the next level], about schools that we’d go to together at and schools that we wouldn’t.”
Lewis said it was one of the top factors in both of their recruitments.
“I would say as far as college goes it’s one of the top things we’re looking for [on if it’s a priority for him and Lewis to play together],” he said. “I think as far as from a business standpoint and publicity and things like that I think we’re looking forward to making that decision.”
On top of the Rio group, 2019 power forward Karim Coulibaly visits Tuesday and 2020s Che Evans and Justin Lewis will visit Wednesday. On Thursday, 6-10 2019 center Qudus Wahab will take an unofficial visit.
Beginning Friday, Luther Muhammad, the 6-4 Class of 2018 shooting guard from the NY Rens and Hudson (N.J.) Catholic will begin his official to St. John’s.
Notre Dame, Cincinnati, Xavier and Seton Hall are among the other schools involved for Muhammad, who cancelled a planned official to Butler after the coaching change.
Muhammad, a natural shooting guard, is transitioning to become a point guard with the Rens.
“It’s coming along really well as far as knowing when to score, pass, slow the game down, speed the game up, knowing how to run a team, getting everyone in the right spot and putting everyone in a position to play to their strengths,” he said. “I want to make everyone around me better.”
Said Rens coach Chris Alesi: “Luther is the prototpyical combo guard who, over the past month or so, has made a smooth transition to playing as a pure point guard, which is what he projects to be in college.
“He’s a kid who relentlessly works on improving his game and I would say he’s a little underrated nationally. He’s an elite competitor in the mold of former Pitt standout Levance Fields.”
