NCAA Basketball: Ranking of top 25 team frontcourts for 2023-24 season

21. St. John’s Red Storm

It wasn’t just the guards that were part of the roster exodus when new coach Rick Pitino arrived. Several frontcourt players moved on, including O’Mar Stanley, Mohamed Keita, and Esahia Nyiwe. Along with backup Drissa Traore is Joel Soriano, last season’s Most Improved Player in the Big East.

Soriano, who led the team with 15.2 ppg and 11.9 rpg, was the lone key returner on the team. Backing him up at the five-spot is Zuby Ejiofor, a former top-40 recruit and transfer from Kansas. And while former Iona forward Quinn Slazinski changed his mind last minute to join the Red Storm, they still have a duo of impact transfers that can play at the four-spot.

Chris Ledlum originally transferred to Tennessee this offseason, before opting to come back home to St. John’s. He was a star in the Ivy League at Harvard, averaging 18.8 ppg and 8.5 rpg last season. Joining him is Glenn Taylor, a 6’7 forward who was one of the few bright spots at Oregon State, second on the team with 11.6 ppg.

If the Storm needs any additional shooting, 6’7 wing and top-100 freshman Brady Dunlap could get some minutes at the three-spot. There’s plenty of scoring potential with this collective frontcourt and the best talent Coach Pitino has had since his days at Louisville. Expect him to find a way to piece it together to be a threat in the Big East this season.