Busting Brackets
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Big East Basketball: Top 10 players entering the 2018-19 season

By Brian Foley

MILWAUKEE, WI - JANUARY 28: Eric Paschall #4 of the Villanova Wildcats is defended by Sam Hauser #10 of the Marquette Golden Eagles during the first half at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on January 28, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI - JANUARY 28: Eric Paschall #4 of the Villanova Wildcats is defended by Sam Hauser #10 of the Marquette Golden Eagles during the first half at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on January 28, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – JANUARY 23: Justin Simon #5 of the St. John’s Red Storm drives to the basket in the second half against the Creighton Bluejays during their game at Carnesecca Arena on January 23, 2018 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – JANUARY 23: Justin Simon #5 of the St. John’s Red Storm drives to the basket in the second half against the Creighton Bluejays during their game at Carnesecca Arena on January 23, 2018 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /

10. Justin Simon, St. John’s

2017-18: 12.2 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 5.1 apg, 2.5 spg, 47.3/41.7/66.1 percent shooting

Simon, a 6-foot-5 guard, flies under the radar with the Johnnies but certainly pops off the stat sheet. In the last 25 years, only two players have averaged at least 12 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and two-and-a-half steals per game: Oregon State’s Gary Payton II in 2015-16 and Simon last year. He posted nine double-doubles and came just short of four more triple-doubles. Simon also recorded 27 blocks.

More. Breaking down St. John's 2018 recruiting class. light

The redshirt junior likely enters as the Big East Defensive Player of the Year favorite, but he can certainly score the ball too. Simon dropped 28 points at Xavier in January and 24 points in a February contest against Butler. The Butler game came in the midst of a nine-game stretch to end the season in which Simon averaged 15.2 points on 52.1 percent shooting.

Simon and two-time reigning conference Defensive Player of the Year Khyri Thomas are not direct comps, but there are some similarities that should encourage the St. John’s faithful. Looking at the two players’ second seasons, both Thomas and Simon averaged nearly identical scoring totals on a similar number of attempts. And while Thomas has a leg up as a long-range shooter, Simon stands in his own class as a rebounder, passer, and ball hawk.

If Simon takes another step forward as a consistent scoring threat like Thomas did in his third year, the Red Storm guard should be a lock for an all-conference selection.

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