Just heard on the radio that Rysheed is going to be looking at professional basketball opportunities next season as opposed to returning to play under Mullin
Rysheed Jordan Not Returning to SJU
- Thread starter Pirate_Hawk
- Start date
Rysheed Jordan leaves St. John’s to chase NBA
By Zach Braziller
June 5, 2015 | 1:39pm
Photo: Paul J. Bereswill
Rysheed Jordan’s turbulent career at St. John’s is over.
The enigmatic guard from Philadelphia has left the program, the school announced in a release Friday afternoon, to seek a professional career.
Jordan is ineligible for the NBA Draft and therefore cannot play in the NBA until the 2016-17 season, but could enter the NBA’s D-League Draft or play overseas for a season.
“Playing professional basketball has always been a goal of mine. I believe I am ready to take the next step in my basketball career and plan to work hard to achieve my dream of playing in the NBA,” Jordan said in a statement. “I am thankful for the opportunities and support St. John’s University has provided to me. This decision was made with my family’s best interests in mind.”
Sources told The Post it was a mutually agreed upon decision between Jordan, the team’s leading returning scorer, and new coach Chris Mullin after Jordan was ruled academically ineligible for the first semester of next season. Jordan could have rejoined the team in December, had he passed all his classes in the summer and fall, but declined to take that route.
“We support Rysheed and wish him well in his professional endeavors,” Mullin said in a statement. “He has the potential to play at the highest level of our sport.”
After St. John’s lost in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, Jordan came home and considered entering his name into the NBA Draft, though his name wasn’t on many mock drafts.
Eventually, he opted to return to St. John’s, but sources said he neglected his school work and his spring semester grades reflected that.
The 6-foot-4 sophomore averaged 14.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game last year under former coach Steve Lavin, and was seen as a key piece to Mullin’s first team at St. John’s.
His absence now puts a ton of pressure on newcomer Marcus LoVett, a four-star point guard from Chicago. LoVett graduates from high school on Saturday, his coach Nick Irvin said, and is on pace to qualify. He doesn’t think the stage will be too big for his star pupil as a freshman.
“He loves that type of pressure,” Irvin said in a phone interview. “He can handle anything you throw at him. Marcus has been playing at a high level all his life. He’s got the special nickname for it anyway: Bright Lights. He loves the moment.”
St. John’s may add another point guard, now that it has a second scholarship available, and is considered the front-runner for Italian guard Federico Mussini, who is also considering Gonzaga or signing a professional deal in Italy. Missouri State graduate transfer Ron M’Vouika has the ability to play the point as well.
Jordan was hailed as a potential NBA lottery pick upon his commitment to St. John’s three years ago, a jet-quick lead guard with elite athleticism and an underrated jump shot who was ranked as a top-20 prospect. He never lived up to the hype, partly due to off-the-court issues. He also was inconsistent on the court, not developing as some predicted under the previous coaching staff, and given leeway other players were not afforded by Lavin.
He lost two people close to him his freshman year. One of his best friends, Aaron McDaniels, was murdered the summer before his freshman year, and his aunt, Niaja Kane, was killed last February. He was also suspended a game as a freshman for violating team rules.
He missed a game this past season, the result of a three-day leave of absence from the team. Sources told The Post at the time it was for repeated disciplinary problems, such as going home to Philadelphia without permission, and attitude problems. Jordan was disciplined separately by Lavin for a homophobic tweet.
Lavin shielded him from the media for virtually his entire St. John’s career, claiming Jordan needed the extra time to focus on academics. He was made available once — at the team’s NCAA Tournament press conference, when all student-athletes must be made available.
http://nypost.com/2015/06/05/rysheed-jordan-leaves-st-johns-to-chase-nba/
By Zach Braziller
June 5, 2015 | 1:39pm
Photo: Paul J. Bereswill
Rysheed Jordan’s turbulent career at St. John’s is over.
The enigmatic guard from Philadelphia has left the program, the school announced in a release Friday afternoon, to seek a professional career.
Jordan is ineligible for the NBA Draft and therefore cannot play in the NBA until the 2016-17 season, but could enter the NBA’s D-League Draft or play overseas for a season.
“Playing professional basketball has always been a goal of mine. I believe I am ready to take the next step in my basketball career and plan to work hard to achieve my dream of playing in the NBA,” Jordan said in a statement. “I am thankful for the opportunities and support St. John’s University has provided to me. This decision was made with my family’s best interests in mind.”
Sources told The Post it was a mutually agreed upon decision between Jordan, the team’s leading returning scorer, and new coach Chris Mullin after Jordan was ruled academically ineligible for the first semester of next season. Jordan could have rejoined the team in December, had he passed all his classes in the summer and fall, but declined to take that route.
“We support Rysheed and wish him well in his professional endeavors,” Mullin said in a statement. “He has the potential to play at the highest level of our sport.”
After St. John’s lost in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, Jordan came home and considered entering his name into the NBA Draft, though his name wasn’t on many mock drafts.
Eventually, he opted to return to St. John’s, but sources said he neglected his school work and his spring semester grades reflected that.
The 6-foot-4 sophomore averaged 14.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game last year under former coach Steve Lavin, and was seen as a key piece to Mullin’s first team at St. John’s.
His absence now puts a ton of pressure on newcomer Marcus LoVett, a four-star point guard from Chicago. LoVett graduates from high school on Saturday, his coach Nick Irvin said, and is on pace to qualify. He doesn’t think the stage will be too big for his star pupil as a freshman.
“He loves that type of pressure,” Irvin said in a phone interview. “He can handle anything you throw at him. Marcus has been playing at a high level all his life. He’s got the special nickname for it anyway: Bright Lights. He loves the moment.”
St. John’s may add another point guard, now that it has a second scholarship available, and is considered the front-runner for Italian guard Federico Mussini, who is also considering Gonzaga or signing a professional deal in Italy. Missouri State graduate transfer Ron M’Vouika has the ability to play the point as well.
Jordan was hailed as a potential NBA lottery pick upon his commitment to St. John’s three years ago, a jet-quick lead guard with elite athleticism and an underrated jump shot who was ranked as a top-20 prospect. He never lived up to the hype, partly due to off-the-court issues. He also was inconsistent on the court, not developing as some predicted under the previous coaching staff, and given leeway other players were not afforded by Lavin.
He lost two people close to him his freshman year. One of his best friends, Aaron McDaniels, was murdered the summer before his freshman year, and his aunt, Niaja Kane, was killed last February. He was also suspended a game as a freshman for violating team rules.
He missed a game this past season, the result of a three-day leave of absence from the team. Sources told The Post at the time it was for repeated disciplinary problems, such as going home to Philadelphia without permission, and attitude problems. Jordan was disciplined separately by Lavin for a homophobic tweet.
Lavin shielded him from the media for virtually his entire St. John’s career, claiming Jordan needed the extra time to focus on academics. He was made available once — at the team’s NCAA Tournament press conference, when all student-athletes must be made available.
http://nypost.com/2015/06/05/rysheed-jordan-leaves-st-johns-to-chase-nba/
Similar threads
