Big East Basketball: Analyzing the top 2019 recruit for each program

Johnathan McGriff – St. John’s Red Storm

PG | 5-foot-9 | 160 lbs | No. 352 overall

St. John’s is entering a new era. With Mike Anderson as the new head coach, the Red Storm are hoping to take the next step towards rising up the Big East basketball rankings. While this 2019 recruiting class is not particularly superb, many are hoping that Coach Anderson will be able to turn the ship around quickly. Johnathan McGriff is the top-rated player in this class and while his ranking is not tremendous, he has the potential to turn into a great player for the team. This is largely due to the fact that his ranking may have more to do about doubting his size (5-foot-9) rather than his game.

With elite quickness and above-average vision, McGriff projects as a solid playmaking guard at the college level. He plays with a chip on his shoulder, and that much is evident in how he attacks the basket and fights for loose balls. McGriff is a harassing defender at the point guard position and does a nice job creating for others. There are certainly concerns about his size because he can only defend one position and struggles to score in the paint with consistency, but he has overcome those weaknesses throughout his career to this point.

McGriff’s remarkable quickness and ball handling are what make him an intriguing prospect. Due to St. John’s lack of true depth at the point guard position right now, it is reasonable to assume that he will be a major piece throughout his career.