Big East Basketball: Analyzing each program’s 2019 recruiting class

With Mike Anderson replacing Chris Mullin as the head coach, St. John’s basketball is ushering in a new era. The Red Storm struggled under the past coaching staff but Coach Anderson has a strong reputation and it is reasonable to assume that the program will be on the rise relatively soon. “New York’s Team” is in need of a resurgence with regards to recruiting and on-the-court success. That might come under the new leadership.

Considering Coach Anderson was only hired this offseason, the Red Storm’s 2019 recruiting class only features two not-so-highly-rated commits. The first of these is Johnathan McGriff, a 5-foot-9 point guard that consistently finds his way into the paint. McGriff was rated as the No. 433 overall recruit in the class but still looks poised for a big role right away. St. John’s has a definite need at point guard this season and it is possible that McGriff emerges as a starter.

Additionally, Julian Champagnie is also joining the fray as a 6-foot-7 wing. He is not ranked by the 247Sports Composite but is a local commit from Brooklyn. There will be lots of competition for playing time on the wing for St. John’s this season and Champagnie will likely be involved in that battle. He is quite versatile and could see minutes at multiple different positions.

St. John’s is widely projected to finish last in the Big East this season. This incoming freshman class could push the team to exceed expectations. That is especially the case if McGriff provides solid minutes at the point guard spot.