Josh Roberts, the 6-foot-9, 201-pound big man from Montverde (FL) Academy, committed to St. John’s on Friday following his official visit Sept. 1-3.
“They made me feel like a priority and I know I can come in and make an impact immediately,” he said.
As for the visit, he said, “I liked it a lot. New York is just an amazing city to be in, and I really enjoyed it.”
Roberts was a top priority for the staff.
“Coach Matt [Abdelmassih] said [they like] my ability to run the floor and that my athleticism fits them perfectly, and that I can make an impact on their program immediately,” Roberts said.
Roberts plays for Kevin Boyle Jr. at Montverde.
“Josh made a great choice in St Johns because he understands that he needs to be in an environment in which his development will be prioritized,” he said. “His athleticism and ability to run the court like a guard, as well as protect the rim with his vertical and reaction time, makes him a valuable piece at the next level. If he stays committed to improving his skills and polishes his overall game he could have a great career in the Big East and hopefully beyond.”
As for his skillset, Roberts said, “I can play the 4 and the 5 and I can also play the 3 a little bit.”
Said Southern Stampede coach Cory Underwood: “He has major, major, major upside. Josh just started really playing the sport. He’s a track and field and football kid. By January 2018 you will see a totally different Josh Roberts. He has elite NBA level athleticism.”
Ranked the No. 86 small forward in the Class of 2018 by 247Sports.com, Roberts listed Auburn, Florida Gulf Coast, Troy and Wichita State as the other schools recruiting him the hardest.
Roberts is St. John’s first commit for 2018.
