Rick Pitino made it clear that last year’s team was not what he assembled, but this year? The complete opposite. St. Johns has quietly put together one of the best transfer portal classes in the entire country and could put themselves in contention for a top 25 spot on the preseason AP poll.
The Red Storm have done their best to try and get back to the old ways of St. Johns basketball after not making the NCAA Tournament for the 5th consecutive season. Rick Pitino is starting to play a huge role in the transformation. Here is the current state of the St. Johns 2024 transfer portal class.
After playing at Montverde Academy his senior year of high school, former five-star recruit Vincent Iwuchukwu committed to play basketball at USC. However, after two seasons with the team, he decided to enter his name in the transfer portal. He ultimately landed on the St. Johns Red Storm as his next destination.
Iwuchukwu is a 7-foot-1, 220-pound big man who has an elite paint presence and plays with a very high motor while on the floor. Statistically, he didn’t pan out with the Trojans over the past two years, nor did he reach his full potential, which Rick Pitino hopes to get out of him. Iwuchukwu averaged 5.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 0.6 blocks, and shot 50.4% from the field last season, averaging 15.7 minutes of action per game. He doesn’t provide a lot from behind the arc, but as a inside presence, he has the potential to be one of the most impactful in the BIg East.
Adding size, defense, and some length to the team was crucial for the Red Storm to compete in their conference, where there are many high-level scorers and rim protectors. Iwuchuckwu will play a significant role on a team flooded with talent.
