No one from final season’s Massive East-winning St. John’s workforce was chosen within the 2025 NBA Draft, however alternatives stay.
4 gamers from that St. John’s roster are collaborating on this month’s NBA Summer season League, together with RJ Luis Jr., who reached a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz, and Kadary Richmond, who signed a two-way cope with the Washington Wizards.
Aaron Scott signed a Summer season League contract with the Boston Celtics, whereas Deivon Smith signed a Summer season League cope with the Atlanta Hawks.
Probably the most high-profile of the bunch is Luis, the reigning Massive East Participant of the Yr, who forewent his last yr of school eligibility to go professional.
Luis was dominated out of his second straight Summer season League recreation on Monday with left knee soreness. Meaning Tuesday night time’s recreation towards the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder would be the rookie wing’s last alternative to swimsuit up in a recreation this summer season.
The Jazz play within the Salt Lake Metropolis leg of the Summer season League, which runs from July 5-8.
Luis, 22, averaged 18.2 factors and seven.2 rebounds per recreation final yr. Luis was not going to return to St. John’s, and although he may have commanded a hefty payday within the NCAA switch portal, he opted to stay within the draft.
His two-way cope with the Jazz will permit him to bounce between the NBA and the G League through the common season.
“He’s going to be a great pro,” St. John’s coach Rick Pitino mentioned final month. “What folks don’t understand, as a result of they haven’t coached him, is how good of a passer he’s, how good of a shot-blocker he’s, how good of an offensive rebounder he’s.
“They just see the scoring ability, so he’ll improve his 3-point shooting once he gets to that level, and then I think he’ll be lethal with what he can do.”
The Wizards, Celtics and Hawks play their Summer season League slates in Las Vegas, the place the video games are scheduled to start on Thursday and run by way of July 20.
Richmond’s first alternative to swimsuit up for Washington comes on Friday night time, when the Wizards face the Phoenix Suns.
The Brooklyn-born guard averaged 12.4 factors, 6.4 rebounds, 5.3 assists and a pair of.0 steals per recreation as a senior with St. John’s however shot a career-low 17.5% on 3-pointers.
In the meantime, the Summer season League contracts signed by Scott and Smith provide them an audition that might flip right into a two-way deal. Boston and Atlanta’s first Summer season League video games are additionally set for Friday.
Scott, a 6-7 wing, averaged 8.4 factors per recreation on 38.9% capturing as a senior however earned a fame for his power and willingness to do the soiled work.
Smith, a speedy 6-1 level guard, was one of many Johnnies’ greatest transition gamers and on-ball defenders, however he, too, struggled with capturing, making 38.0% of his discipline targets throughout his senior season.
