Max Hooper is the latest member of St. John’s 2012 recruiting class, having committed Monday following a weekend visit.
“I’ve committed to St. John’s,” the 6-foot-6, 210-pound Harvard transfer told SNY.tv Monday. He must sit out a year per transfer regulations and will then have three years of eligibility remaining.
“What made me pick them is trusting the coaching staff and being able to sit down with them this past weekend and bond with the players and feel the connection with the players and get that campus feel and see it was a place I could see myself spending four years and feeling comfortable,” he added.
Hooper committed one day after the Monroe (N.Y.) College duo of Orlando Sanchez and Marco Bourgault committed to head coach Steve Lavin. (Here’s the story on their commitments.)
“I was on campus when they committed,” Hooper said. “They both are really good guys, they both can play. I’m looking forward to further developing the chemistry with them.”
Hooper is a shooter who will help spread the offense and serve as a zone-buster, much in the way Lavin hopes Bourgault will.
“They definitely see me as a shotmaker, high-level shotmaker,” he said. “They also see me as an intelligent player who knows how to play the game game, make smart plays and do the little things on the court as well.”
St. John’s is expected to announce the signings of Hooper, Bourgault, Sanchez, 6-3 wing Felix Balamou and 6-8 JaKarr Sampson later this week or early next week.
They have two scholarships remaining and are involved with bigs Chris Obekpa, Michael Chandler, Philip Nolan and Justin Raffington and guards Josiah Turner and Darrick Wood.
nicols / April 24, 2012
Coach Lavin has all the confidence on West Coast players. Unfortunately he doesn´t feel the same about New York and New Jersey players.
I think that this strategy is a great mistake.
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Adam Zagoria / April 24, 2012
He did recruit Moe Harkless, who’s headed to the NBA.
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nicols / April 24, 2012
Yes, he has got one player, but he is not recruiting in New York or New Jersey.
For example, it´s similar to Illinois. Lavin recruited Phil Greene, but we know that he is not recruiting in Illinois.
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gman / April 24, 2012
Nichols – can you tell me where Jermaine Lawrence, Jonathan Severe, Hassan Martin, Jaren Sina, Carlos Galan, Shane Rector, Isiah Whitehead, Khadeem Carrington, Felix Balamou, and Chris Obekpa play? Last time I check all NY/NJ. All players the staff is on.
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dustycharlestown / April 24, 2012
Nicols I would also suggest you review the top 100 recruits in the nation. It’s not exactly teaming with Metro area players. The days of a NY/NJ starting 5 making the top 10 are over.
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