Easily the most “talented” team on paper at least according to player rankings that we’ve had in a long, long, time. RP is not done adding which makes looking at 25/26 wildly intriguing.
25-26 Season
- Thread starter bucketshardy
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Agreed but greed is good.
Another “4” type rebounder/defender might be helpful. You also going to need some plan for backup at PG. Maybe by Committee? I am sure RP and staff are looking at everything. I know everyone will say we are never satisfied BUT now is exactly the time to add players.
Mullins Revenge
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The talent upgrade over last years team is insane. This is a preseason top 10 team that w/ another addition or 2 could be top 5.
MBaldi
Well-known member
Still a couple of things to figure out with the roster, and of course there is the part about actually playing the games,but I never thought that, in my lifetime, we would have a legit shot "of win[ning]" the whole damb thing!"
The anticipated lineup is RIDICULOUS!!! Thank you to all supporters, Father Shanley, CRP and many, many others for turning a dormant, hard-luck program into a very real contender. Go Johnnies!!!
The anticipated lineup is RIDICULOUS!!! Thank you to all supporters, Father Shanley, CRP and many, many others for turning a dormant, hard-luck program into a very real contender. Go Johnnies!!!
The glaring statistical void from what we have lost off our roster to what we have added is in the assists column. We have lost five of our six leading assist players off of last year's roster (players who made close to 500 assists from last year's roster are gone). Kadary alone was resoponsible for 191 assists last season. None of the four players we have added produced assists at a high level. Adding ball distributors and passers, to the offense we have added, will be critical in filling out the remainder of our roster.
I am sure the staff is aware of all of this and will add the appropriate pieces to make the roster balanced. That said, finding any distributor on the level of a Kadary Richmond will be very tough, if not impossible. However distribution by committee can work well too. I am looking forward to seing the other roster spots fill in to see how this will all come together.
That's exactly what Duke did this season. Go look at their per-game assist numbers by player.
Last season, the players you'd look to have the ball in their hand for a big shot were Luis, Kadary and maybe Smith. This coming season, it seems like we have Hopkins, Jackson, Sellers and Sanon; on paper this coming season should be even better. Can't wait for the season to start....
I do agree with other posters about Kadary's invaluable impact as a distributor. Who knows who on the roster expected to play significant minutes will step up in that role.
I do agree with other posters about Kadary's invaluable impact as a distributor. Who knows who on the roster expected to play significant minutes will step up in that role.
You are a really tough read, you know that? You are the only person on the planet that would write that about a 31-5 team that won the Big East, lost an All-American/Conference player of the year, Richmond, Scott, Wilcher, etc.
These same “studs” you love now will be the same guys you claim we are recruiting over in 11 months.
Mullins Revenge
Well-known member
Yes, I am really excited about all the talent we have brought in and see this as a much better team than last years team.
And you feel the need to whine about this?
I truly don’t know how anyone can make the claim that there is an “insane” talent upgrade over last years team at this point in time.
last years team had Kadary Richmond
And RJ Luis
Mullins Revenge
Well-known member
We were not even a preseason top 25 team last year. This year, we are top 10 and maybe top 5. Why? Because we have brought in a huge talent upgrade.
This is something to be excited about fellas. My goodness......
Glitz v substance Jack. We had one of best defenses in country and yes, we are bettering shooting, but to assume this group is an upgrade w/o playing a game seems premature. Let’s see how team chemistry goes and how proficient we are at both ends of the court.
Not crazy
Who gives a damn about preseason top 25? If anything we will get love in the preseason top 25 this year BECAUSE of the hard work of last years St. John’s team to put us back on the map officially. It doesn’t mean this years team is automatically an “insane talent upgrade”
You can be excited about next years team. That’s great. I am too. But don’t also dismiss last years team so easily. We were really good. We had Kadary, RJ, Scott, smith, who were all experienced, tough and talented college basketball players. Oh yea and last years team still had zubs on top of that.
Frankly, i won’t be saying this teams a huge talent upgrade until I see how they look on the court.
Mullins Revenge
Well-known member
Whos dismissing anyone? I loved last years team.
This years team is much more talented and will be better.
Get excited fellas!!!!!!! Rick is doing what he came here to do!
Couple of points supporting MR. (can't believe I just typed that)
First, how can you say that this year's team will get love from last year's team when there is one significant returnee? Is Zuby alone worthy of the ranking or is the ranking a present based on last year's performance? I'd believe the latter for Duke, Kansas, Mi St or similar but not for STJ.
I think the overall point is that on paper if you look at the teams potential summer vs. summer there is a lot more presumed talent for 25/26 vs 24/25. BHop was previously a top 50 recruit, on Wooden and Malone Award Watch lists last year, an All BE first team 3 years ago, claims returned full health. Jackson was 5 star top 10 recruit, ACC all frosh team, rated as 5 star transfer. Sanon was a top 25 recruit, listed as the 21st ranked player in the 2026 draft on a consensus ranking. That's presumed to be potential superstar talent at 3 positions, and Zuby will only be better with these guys around him spreading out the defense. All of that would be assumed to be better than Deivon, Aaron and Vince on paper.
Of course this is all on paper but MR's claim is not preposterous.
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