St. John’s Loading Up in the Portal

Despite losing the core of arguably the best team in the Big East last season, St. John’s head coach Rick Pitino has had no trouble reloading in the transfer portal.

The latest addition comes in the form of Cincinnati forward Dillon Mitchell. Formerly a 5-star recruit that began his career at Texas, Mitchell added some elite athleticism and length to a frontcourt in need of some. He should play predominantly at the four with some five sprinkled in.

Mitchell’s arrival helps to further shape a roster which will look dramatically different than it did this year. The likes of RJ Luis Jr., Kadary Richmond, Brady Dunlap, Deivon Smith, Simeon Wilcher, and Vince Iwuchukwu are all gone from last year.

However, solid big man Zuby Ejiofor is back to man the middle. Surrounding him will be four elite transfers in the form of Ian Jackson (North Carolina), Bryce Hopkins (Providence), Joson Sanon (Arizona State), and Oziyah Sellers (Stanford). Incoming freshman Imran Suljanovic hails from Austria and is said to be a very good prospect.

Jackson might end up the prize of the offseason for the Red Storm. A Bronx native, the former 5-star recruit spurned St. John’s to sign with North Carolina. He’ll immediately be counted on for offense within Pitino’s free-flowing scheme.

Sanon and Sellers come over from old Pac-12 programs. Both are rangy athletes with the ability to score off the dribble as well as from behind the arc. Hopkins is technically a big wing, though playing him at the four would give Pitino some real versatility.

While there’s not a true point guard within the group, Pitino will have three big guards who are all in essence interchangeable with one another. St. John’s should not only be a better shooting team than the one this past year, but also one that scores the basketball far easier.