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St. John’s Basketball: Red Storm gets massive late boost in Chris Ledlum

By Tristan Freeman

Dec 22, 2022; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Harvard Crimson forward Chris Ledlum (4) shoots against the Kansas Jayhawks during the second half at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 22, 2022; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Harvard Crimson forward Chris Ledlum (4) shoots against the Kansas Jayhawks during the second half at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports /
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St. John’s Basketball is still loading up the roster, adding Harvard transfer, Chris Ledlum. What does he add to the Red Storm next season?

The offseason for St. John’s Basketball started out a bit slow when they initially hired head coach Rick Pitino. After almost the entire roster outside of center Joel Soriano left, the first incoming transfers to the roster were all former Iona players. However, the team slowly has added good talent in recent weeks, including Oregon State transfer Glenn Taylor Jr., as well as Jordan Dingle, one of the top scorers in college hoops from Penn.

The Red Storm recently added another elite player from the Ivy League, Chris Ledlum. He’s a 6’6 combo forward from Harvard, coming off averaging 18.8 ppg and 8.5 rpg last season. That included some performances such as 30 points against Loyola-Chicago, along with 35 points and 13 rebounds versus Cornell.

Assuming that Iona transfer Daniss Jenkins is eligible next season, the potential lineup for St. John’s will be loaded offensive. Jenkins (15.6 ppg and 4.9 apg), Dingle (23.4 ppg), Ledlum (18.8 ppg), and Soriano (15.2 ppg and 11.9 rpg) are as good a foursome in the country, while still having guys like Naheim Alleyne, RJ Ruis, Taylor, and top-40 incoming freshman guard Simeon Wilcher on the roster as well. Of course, this assumes that the mid-major transfers are able to successfully transfer to the Big East level.

While one forward joined St. John’s, one has left. Quinn Slazinski followed Coach Pitino over from Iona and is coming off an injury-plagued past season. Once players like Taylor and Ledlum arrived, the pathway to minutes wasn’t there for the junior forward. He’s now in the portal, making it a 1-for-1 exchange.

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The Red Storm will take it though, as they landed another star transfer pickup. And after missing the NCAA Tournament for the past four years, the expectations are definitely now there for next season with Pitino in charge and now Ledlum in the fold.