By Joseph Straszewski
St. John’s fans will need programs to identify the guys in the Red Storm uniforms next season and that’s a good thing.
Any real remnants of the Steve Lavin era are now gone as Chris Mullin begins his first season as men’s basketball coach. The program and its scholarship players will all be his except for sparsely used forward Christian Jones and guard Felix Balamou. The baggage left behind from last year’s NCAA tournament team is gone.
They shouldn’t be missed.
Shot-blocking center Chris Obekpa became the latest to leave when the school announced last week that he was transferring before his senior year. This is the same kid who nearly bolted last season before changing his mind and returning, who was suspended for the NCAA tournament after reportedly testing positive for marijuana and who was ejected twice last season.
Super-talented guard Rysheed Jordan, who just finished his sophomore year, elected to turn pro. He was disciplined by Lavin multiple times during his career and was reportedly going to be ruled academically ineligible for the coming season had he stayed. Center Adonis De La Rosa also transferred after not playing a game for the Johnnies as a freshman because he was academically ineligible.
Those kids posses plenty of basketball talent. Still, you are much better off reshaping the program without the players who were at the heart of the many of its former off-the-court issues. Their presence doesn’t propel you forward. It ultimately holds you back.
Could the loss of their skills hinder the Red Storm next season? Of course. But long term it will prove beneficial to not have them on the roster. You need everyone on the same page when you are trying to establish a culture of greater accountability and a heightened work ethic. Why would you want players with Jordan and Obekpa’s off-the-court track records being your leaders?
There will be plenty of talent in Queens next season. Mullin added a little bit more with the signing of talented Italian guard Federico Mussini over the weekend. He joins a freshman class that also includes Marcus Lovett Jr. and Malik Ellison along with sophomore forward Amar Alibegovic and a number of transfers and junior college commits.
The new kids are here because they already buy into the type of working ethic and discipline Mullin, a workaholic himself, is trying to make the program’s calling card. Their commitment can immediately be rewarded with valuable playing time and experience from day one. It will only have them more prepared for the coming years with the Johnnies.
St. John’s fans can still take pride in the days and careers of graduated seniors D’Angelo Harrison, Phil Greene IV, Sir’Dominic Pointer and Jamaal Branch. Pointer was drafted by Cleveland Cavaliers with the 53rd pick in the second round of the NBA Draft and he and his classmates earned every bit of the emotion and appreciation fans have for them.
However, don’t stress over the loss of Jordan and Obekpa and don’t wonder how things could go if they were still in Queens. Their departures are what is best for the long-term health of the program.
There are no big reminders of the Red Storm last regime remaining, just a clear path forward to a new era.
