Latest news with #RJLuisJr.
New York Post
25-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
RJ Luis Jr. makes his NBA intentions clear after stunning St. John's transfer
Access the St. John's beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting member-only features, including real-time texting with Zach Braziller about the inside buzz on St. John's. TRY IT NOW RJ Luis Jr.'s name is currently in the transfer portal and the NBA draft, but the former St. John's star made it clear Thursday that one of those is a clear preference over the other. 'I'm fully into the draft right now,' Luis said before accepting the Lt. Frank J. Haggerty Metropolitan Player of the Year Award, as decided by the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association. 'The transfer portal's kind of like a backup plan. Just weighing my options in case I don't like anything that's going on as far as the draft. Definitely fully focusing on the draft right now.' Advertisement Currently, Luis has a 'Do Not Contact' attached to his name in the portal. He's working out in Florida with the full intention of going to the draft combine and keeping his name in the draft, with shooting being a heavy focus. 5 RJ Luis Jr. talks with reporters at the MBWA All-Met Haggerty Awards on April 24. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post 5 RJ Luis Jr. attempts a shot during the St. John's game against Omaha on March 20. Charles Wenzelberg Advertisement 'Just staying square,' said Luis, who shot 33.6 percent from 3-point range last season. 'Lot of balance, lot of repetitions. Trying to get a quicker release, obviously shoot the ball on motion. And obviously, the line is a little further back [in the NBA], so just getting used to that.' Luis had a breakout junior season, leading the Johnnies to the Big East Championship and a No. 2-seed in the NCAA Tournament while averaging 18.2 points and 7.2 rebounds. The 6-foot-7 wing's season ended in ignominious fashion, however, as he was benched down the stretch of a second-round upset loss to No. 10 seed Arkansas in the NCAA Tournament. Advertisement 5 Zuby Ejiofor and RJ Luis Jr. are pictured April 24. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post He said Thursday that the way the season ended had no bearing on his decision to leave St. John's. 'It was fully determined on entering my name in the draft this year after the incredible season that I had,' Luis said. 'That was always the main goal. I feel like the entire coaching staff was also on board with that decision. It was mutual.' Asked whether he'd fully digested that game, Luis described himself as 'past that now.' Advertisement 'I feel like everything is in the past,' he said. 'I have a great relationship with the coaches still. Just continue to put the work in.' 5 Zuby Ejiofor attempts a shot during the St. John's game against Arkansas on March 22. Charles Wenzelberg That he flew back up to New York to accept the award, representing St. John's while doing so, is an obvious sign that Luis still has a strong relationship with the university. Teammate Zuby Ejiofor, who will be back with the Johnnies next season as a senior, was there with Luis. 'It's one of many awards that RJ Luis has gotten this season,' Ejiofor said. 'The man, he's more than deserving of this award, he put in a lot of work. Just to see him overcoming adversity time and time again, to have the season that he did this past season, myself and everybody can say we wouldn't have had the season we had without RJ Luis. For him to get this award, the amount of time he put in, really supportive of him.' Ejiofor will return to a largely overhauled roster, with a transfer portal class compiled by coach Rick Pitino that includes Bryce Hopkins, Ian Jackson, Joson Sanon, Oziyah Sellers and Dillon Mitchell. The Johnnies even added reigning Big Sky MVP Dylan Darling on Thursday. 5 Zuby Ejiofor is pictured during the MBWA All-Met Haggerty Awards on April 24. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post Advertisement 'Oziyah, he's probably one of the best 3-point shooters in the country in my opinion,' Ejiofor said. 'He just came in, he did the workout, he just blew the numbers. Dillon Mitchell, really athletic guy. Guy that can get into transition. Really special. Special player. Bryce Hopkins, we already know what he brings to the table, being a first-team All-[Big East]. He worked out as well, he was doing fine. Joson, another great shooter. 'So we have a lot of great shooters. That was the main focal point for this season. I'm really excited for how they're gonna come to the team and contribute and build on the things we did last year.'
New York Times
29-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
St. John's RJ Luis Jr. declares for NBA Draft, enters transfer portal
Big East Player of the Year RJ Luis Jr. is moving on from St. John's, entering both the transfer portal and declaring for the NBA Draft after his season ended with a late-game benching in the Red Storm's second-round NCAA Tournament loss. Luis' agent, Sam Permut of Roc Nation, told ESPN that the 6-foot-7 small forward would be exploring both college and professional options. Advertisement The Miami native has one year of eligibility left and would be one of the top available players in the transfer portal. He averaged 18.2 points and 7.2 rebounds this season, leading St. John's to both a Big East regular season and tournament championship. He was also the most outstanding player of the conference tournament. St. John's recently added one of the nation's top transfers in former Arizona State guard Joson Sanon. The Red Storm were a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but were upset in the second round by 10th-seeded Arkansas. Luis had his worst game of the season against the Razorbacks, shooting 3-for-17 from the field and did not play the final 4:56 seconds against Arkansas. 'I mean, of course, everybody wants to play when it comes down to it,' Luis said after the game. 'So, I mean, just for me not to be able to be on the court the last couple minutes, just help my team win, hurt me.' Luis started his college career at UMass before transferring to St. John's in 2023, Rick Pitino's first season as coach.
Miami Herald
29-03-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
St. John's RJ Luis Jr. enters NBA draft, transfer portal
St. John's star forward RJ Luis Jr. is declaring for the 2025 NBA Draft and entering the transfer portal, multiple media outlets reported Saturday. Luis has one season of college eligibility remaining. Named the Big East Player of the Year, Luis averaged 18.2 points and 7.2 rebounds in 35 games (32 starts) this season. Luis also earned Big East Tournament MVP honors. However, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, with St. John's as the No. 2 seed in the West Region, he made just 3 of 17 shots from the floor and sat out the final 4:56 of the second half in a 75-66 setback to No. 10 Arkansas on March 22. Luis, a Miami native, began his college career with one season at Massachusetts before transferring to St. John's prior to the 2023-24 campaign. --Field Level Media Field Level Media 2023 - All Rights Reserved
Reuters
29-03-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
St. John's RJ Luis Jr. enters NBA draft, transfer portal
March 29 - St. John's star forward RJ Luis Jr. is declaring for the 2025 NBA Draft and entering the transfer portal, multiple media outlets reported Saturday. Luis has one season of college eligibility remaining. Named the Big East Player of the Year, Luis averaged 18.2 points and 7.2 rebounds in 35 games (32 starts) this season. Luis also earned Big East Tournament MVP honors. However, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, with St. John's as the No. 2 seed in the West Region, he made just 3 of 17 shots from the floor and sat out the final 4:56 of the second half in a 75-66 setback to No. 10 Arkansas on March 22. Luis, a Miami native, began his college career with one season at Massachusetts before transferring to St. John's prior to the 2023-24 campaign.
USA Today
24-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
St. John's standout RJ Luis Jr. deletes Instagram after repeated social media harassment
St. John's standout RJ Luis Jr. deletes Instagram after repeated social media harassment RJ Luis Jr. had a phenomenal 2024-25 season. Leading St. John's to its best season in decades and a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament, Luis was named the Big East Player of the Year and a Second Team All-American. But Luis' season came to a disappointing end in the Red Storm's 75-66 loss to No. 10-seeded Arkansas in the second round. He shot just 3 of 17 in the final game of the season, and as a result, he was sent to the bench in the final minutes of the game by head coach Rick Pitino. Following St. John's exiting the tournament, Luis was the subject of quite a bit of social media harassment, particularly from frustrated sports bettors who took his scoring props. As a result, he apparently deleted his Instagram account. "To hear RJ Luis' social media was flooded w/such hate/negativity is a sad state of where we are/who we've become," St. John's radio announcer Brandon Tierney wrote on social media. "Attacking a young man over a bet? Wow. He is an absolute gem of a human. Everything you would want in a son + caring/engaged family. Some people truly are evil." Luis, who joined Pitino at St. John's as a transfer from UMass in 2023, may not have played his last minutes with the Red Storm. He has another year of eligibility, and he isn't projected as an early pick in the 2025 NBA draft. Whether Luis' college career continues in 2025-26, it's disappointing to see the harassment he had to face after the conclusion of such a prolific season.
