Welcome to my team preview series for 2024-25. Each day between now and the start of the college basketball season, I will preview one team or conference, both on Instagram (@collegehoopsoutlet) and through an article here. The preview will go in-depth on the roster build of the team, my expectations for their upcoming season, and the state of the program under their current head coach.
St. John’s (Projected: 5th in Big East)
Rick Pitino’s Red Storm fell on the wrong side of the bubble in his first year in charge, and there’s no doubt reaching the NCAA Tournament will be the one thing on his mind this season. The Red Storm will combine their core of returners with a handful of experienced transfers and talented freshmen, looking for the recipe to success in 2024-25.
Five players return for year two of the Rick Pitino era, four of whom were a part of the rotation for the Red Storm last season. The most important of the returners is RJ Luis Jr. (11 ppg, 5 rpg), who battled injury in his first year at St. John’s, starting in 10 of the 23 games he played. Luis struggled shooting the ball last season, but even if his shot doesn’t get back on track, he provides a lot for the Johnnies on the defensive side of the ball with his impressive length and athleticism.
The other returners were all deeper in the rotation last season, but now could make a slightly bigger impact with a full year at St. John’s now under their belt. Zuby Ejiofor (4 ppg, 3 rpg) transferred in from Kansas last offseason, showing his potential in flashes and positively contributing on the offensive glass. Simeon Wilcher (3 ppg) saw limited minutes as a freshman but is a guy I think could break out off the bench for the Red Storm. Wilcher was efficient from the field in his first season and also showed an ability to create for others. Brady Dunlap (3 ppg) was another contributor as a freshman, and although he may not have as high of a ceiling as Wilcher, he should still see an increase in minutes as a sophomore. Sadike Ibine Ayo (0 ppg) is the final returner for the Red Storm, appearing in just five games last season after transferring in from Iona.
Eight players left St. John’s this offseason, a large portion of whom played big roles for the Red Storm this offseason. The Red Storm backcourt lost Daniss Jenkins (15 ppg, 4 rpg, 5 apg), Jordan Dingle (12 ppg), Nahiem Alleyne (6 ppg), and Sean Conway (2 ppg). The frontcourt saw departures from Joel Soriano (14 ppg, 10 rpg), Chris Ledlum (10 ppg, 7 rpg), Glenn Taylor Jr. (4 ppg), and Drissa Traore (2 ppg).
To replace the outgoing production, Rick Pitino landed commitments from four transfers. All four are likely starters for the Red Storm, highlighted by the guard duo of Deivon Smith (13 ppg, 6 rpg, 7 apg at Utah) and Kadary Richmond (16 ppg, 7 rpg, 5 apg at Seton Hall). Both Smith and Richmond are primarily seen as point guards, but with the number of different things each of them can do on the court, I don’t see fit being a problem. St. John’s will be the fourth school for Smith in five seasons, an experienced guard who finally broke out as a star this past season, posting five triple-doubles on the year, including two in the NIT. Richmond became a staple point of the Seton Hall program over the course of the past three seasons, an efficient scorer, great defender, and elite playmaker for the Pirates. With Smith and Richmond together in the backcourt, the upside on both ends of the court for the Red Storm is as high as it’s been since the Mike Jarvis days.
Forwards Aaron Scott (11 ppg, 6 rpg at North Texas) and Vincent Iwuchukwu (6 ppg, 4 rpg at USC) should also be impactful adds for the Red Storm. I’ve got both listed as projected starters, and I think Iwuchukwu could have a breakout year for the Red Storm if things go the right way for him. Scott, like any player coming from North Texas, brings a strong defensive identity with him, and should be the day one starter at the four for Rick Pitino. Combining Scott with Luis Jr. and Richmond should give the Red Storm one of the better defensive lineups in the country, and the combination of those three can guard any trio of non-centers in the country.
Four freshmen fill out Pitino’s roster, all looking to make their mark in their first collegiate season. Jaiden Glover (4*, NAT 57) is likely to have as big of an impact as any in 2024-25, a 6-5 wing who can score from all three levels and should be a pest on the defensive end under the guidance of Rick Pitino. Ruben Prey (Portugal) is another guy I think could make an impact this season, a 6-10 forward with good all-around abilities who Pitino had tried to get last offseason but had stayed put in Portugal. Khaman Maker (3*, NAT 127) and Lefteris Liotopoulos (Greece) round out the recruiting class, more likely to see bigger roles in future seasons.
The complaints from Rick Pitino about his roster last season were public from November to March, but maybe now the postseason success will come with a bit more time to recruit and more of ‘his’ guys in the program. The transfers that Pitino was able to get into the program this offseason all have the capabilities to be difference-makes at the power conference level, and two have already shown it. Going into this season, I’m sure Pitino would agree that anything less than an NCAA Tournament bid is a failure.
The combination of Deivon Smith and Kadary Richmond in the same backcourt should be one of the more exciting parts about this St. John’s roster. I like all five guys in my projected starting lineup for this team, but I feel going into November that this roster lacks a bit of depth. My X-factors for the Red Storm are Simeon Wilcher and Jaiden Glover for this reason. Even as just a sophomore and a freshman, both should have sizable roles off the bench and have the talent to make a real impact on a team hoping to contend in the Big East. If Pitino gets high-level contributions from these two young guards, he could have one of the best backcourts in the Big East from both a top-end talent and depth standpoint.
Just about the smallest conference around nowadays, the 11-team Big East will be looking to send closer to five or six teams to the NCAA Tournament this season rather than the three it sent this past March. St. John’s was one of the teams on the short end of the stick this past year, but a team that I think gets over the hump this year with the dynamic backcourt of Deivon Smith and Kadary Richmond. I’ve got the Red Storm finishing 5th in the Big East this season, just behind Marquette as a top 25-30 team.