LJ Figueroa NY Post Piece

[quote="MJDinkins" post=283520]zach smart
‏@zsmart3
LJ Figueroa @Lj_Figueroa brings pro-level of scoring expertise, headiness to SJU. Sleeper pickup, a la Marlon Taylor to LSU

[URL][URL]https://www.prephoops.com/2018/04/top-juco-signees-prospects/[/URL][/URL][/quote]

Great piece, MJ. Thanks. Thinking IF Ponds comes back, he and LJF will form a scorching duo on the court. Looking forward to it. Shooting-the-lights-out hoops to include more assists and better D.
 
[quote="Paultzman" post=283531]Our Desi R[/quote]

Not sure if it's unreasonable to 'expect' LJF to provide that in Year 1 in the BEC, but I do think he'll be a great addition.
 
Former Oldsmar Head Coach Alex Arias explained that "Madison Square Garden every night" and Figueroa's meeting with Dominican wunderkind/SJU legend Felipe Lopez helped sell the prolific scoring guard on St. John's
Zach Smart
Felipe one up on Mitch :)
 
Zach Smart
Arias cited a 42-point eruption @Lj_Figueroa authored in NYC during an AAU game his junior year in speaking on the JUCO All-American's love for the city and the big stage.

"The bigger the stage, the bigger he plays. It was a no brainer."
 
Chicago Days wrote: Paultzman wrote: Our Desi R

Not sure if it's unreasonable to 'expect' LJF to provide that in Year 1 in the BEC, but I do think he'll be a great addition.

I think Desi R is a good comparison. I'd be happy if he gives us numbers next year similar to what Desi put up for Hall as a sophomore 12.4 ppg, 5 rbds and .386 from 3.
 
Things I can't control, I try not to stress over. I support the current staff, just like the staff before that and so on. Im a fan of St Johns. Whoever the coach is, I want them to be successful. Every coach/staff has their issues. When Mullin was hired, I knew there would be on the job learning curve. I expect a 20 plus win season this year. If that doesn't happen, and we're bottom feeders again, then perhaps it might be time to go a different direction. I personally wish Mitch was still a special assistant and we brought in an experienced coach/recruiter.. I don't have control over that, so why keep talking about it? Putting anyone on the staff down on public forums doesn't help anything. Just hurts imo. The desire for a big man is another thing I don't stress over. Obviously Mullin goes with a run and gun offense. A slow big won't help us if that's the case. I feel we were a 20 win team last year if Marcus didn't dip on us. That's with no prototypical big. So I think they have a plan. I'm hoping it all comes together this year.
 
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[quote="Paultzman" post=283541]Zach Smart
Arias cited a 42-point eruption @Lj_Figueroa authored in NYC during an AAU game his junior year in speaking on the JUCO All-American's love for the city and the big stage.

"The bigger the stage, the bigger he plays. It was a no brainer."[/quote]

Thank you Felipe, thank you Matt, thank you Mullin, thank you the gods of good luck...we may have landed a stud.
 
[quote="rawdognyc" post=283547]Things I can't control, I try not to stress over. I support the current staff, just like the staff before that and so on. Im a fan of St Johns. Whoever the coach is, I want them to be successful. Every coach/staff has their issues. When Mullin was hired, I knew there would be on the job learning curve. I expect a 20 plus win season this year. If that doesn't happen, and we're bottom feeders again, then perhaps it might be time to go a different direction. I personally wish Mitch was still a special assistant and we brought in an experienced coach/recruiter.. I don't have control over that, so why keep talking about it? Putting anyone on the staff down on public forums doesn't help anything. Just hurts imo. The desire for a big man is another thing I don't stress over. Obviously Mullin goes with a run and gun offense. A slow big won't help us if that's the case. I feel we were a 20 win team last year if Marcus didn't dip on us. That's with no prototypical big. So I think they have a plan. I'm hoping it all comes together this year.[/quote]

Fair enough Raw but who ever said the BIG had to be slow and if Mullin can only coach a one dimensional offense, where the hell will Keita fit in and why can't Mullin adapt to the players he has rather than drive them to the airport?

When you say "Putting anyone on the staff down on public forums doesn't help anything. Just hurts imo.", many here try to dismiss the fact that Mullin and Richmond are not only "public" figures but celebrities. When they and Slice had their attorneys negotiate their contracts for millions I'm sure they knew that they would be public fodder in NYC after the honeymoons were over.
Finally, as public sports figures, I and others don't see them helping their cause with snippy remarks and eye rolling towards certain sports reporters and certainly in cases of complete radio silence in the media capital of the world. You can be sure a Chris Mullin radio show is not in the works.
 
[quote="Paultzman" post=283535]Former Oldsmar Head Coach Alex Arias explained that "Madison Square Garden every night" and Figueroa's meeting with Dominican wunderkind/SJU legend Felipe Lopez helped sell the prolific scoring guard on St. John's
Zach Smart
Felipe one up on Mitch :)[/quote]

Not to open another can of worms, but does Mullin get credit for setting up that visit with Felipe or even having the smarts to realize it would pay dividends?
 
[quote="AlBovino" post=283524]What facts? I haven't heard any facts from you. Just conjecture. Maybe you think because you believe something, that makes it a fact. Well it doesn't. Che palle!! Comprende?[/quote]

Just because no one likes you enough to PM you info doesn't mean that there aren't posters who don't have facts.
 
[quote="rawdognyc" post=283475]Honestly, some of the most negative and miserable people are on this board.[/quote]

And some of the most pollyanna all is well people are on the board too. Thats a message board. And That's what's 20 plus years of irrelevance and having the leader scorer in school history will get you.
 
[quote="Moose" post=283590][quote="rawdognyc" post=283475]Honestly, some of the most negative and miserable people are on this board.[/quote]

And some of the most pollyanna all is well people are on the board too. Thats a message board. And That's what's 20 plus years of irrelevance and having the leader scorer in school history will get you.[/quote]

Not pollyanna-ish... just some take a more patient tact, others give a shorter leash. It's just a matter of approach.
 
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[quote="SJ_NYC" post=283606][quote="Moose" post=283590][quote="rawdognyc" post=283475]Honestly, some of the most negative and miserable people are on this board.[/quote]

And some of the most pollyanna all is well people are on the board too. Thats a message board. And That's what's 20 plus years of irrelevance and having the leader scorer in school history will get you.[/quote]

Not pollyanna-ish... just some take a more patient tact, others give a shorter leash. It's just a matter of approach.[/quote]

Agree to disagree. Mullin can run over a dog and there are many here who will blame the dog. I'm all for patience. But I've seen enough train wrecks to not have to wait them out like previously. As long as people respectfully make their points they should be allowed to and not subject to snarky oh here we go with the negative stuff retorts (not directing that at you).
 
[quote="Moose" post=283610][quote="SJ_NYC" post=283606][quote="Moose" post=283590][quote="rawdognyc" post=283475]Honestly, some of the most negative and miserable people are on this board.[/quote]

And some of the most pollyanna all is well people are on the board too. Thats a message board. And That's what's 20 plus years of irrelevance and having the leader scorer in school history will get you.[/quote]

Not pollyanna-ish... just some take a more patient tact, others give a shorter leash. It's just a matter of approach.[/quote]

Agree to disagree. Mullin can run over a dog and there are many here who will blame the dog. I'm all for patience. But I've seen enough train wrecks to not have to wait them out like previously. As long as people respectfully make their points they should be allowed to and not subject to snarky oh here we go with the negative stuff retorts (not directing that at you).[/quote]

Understood & agreed. No reason for the snarky comments. Additionally, I also wish some 'shorter-leash' guys would go a little easy on the keyboard. It's a bit aggravating to see the same handful of posters just on repeat day after day. I know we should be able to just ignore them, but it's tiring to readers to skip posts - essentially making the board close to being monopolized.
 
[quote="rawdognyc" post=283547]Things I can't control, I try not to stress over. I support the current staff, just like the staff before that and so on. Im a fan of St Johns. Whoever the coach is, I want them to be successful. Every coach/staff has their issues. When Mullin was hired, I knew there would be on the job learning curve. I expect a 20 plus win season this year. If that doesn't happen, and we're bottom feeders again, then perhaps it might be time to go a different direction. I personally wish Mitch was still a special assistant and we brought in an experienced coach/recruiter.. I don't have control over that, so why keep talking about it? Putting anyone on the staff down on public forums doesn't help anything. Just hurts imo. The desire for a big man is another thing I don't stress over. Obviously Mullin goes with a run and gun offense. A slow big won't help us if that's the case. I feel we were a 20 win team last year if Marcus didn't dip on us. That's with no prototypical big. So I think they have a plan. I'm hoping it all comes together this year.[/quote]
Nice post and take issue with only one point you made-even if Mo goes with a run and gun offense that doesn't mean there is not a need for a big. There are 2 ends to a basketball court and one of them is the defensive end where you may need a big to defend a big and defensive rebound. Even on the offensive end when the gunners miss it is nice to have a garbage man for offensive rebounds and put backs. Now Keita seems to fit that bill and hopefully despite what the consensus seems to be on this board Roberts can at least serve as his back-up. Fear that would remain is injury or foul trouble to a big especially Keita. (Hopefully this post doesn't offend anyone's sensibilities-oh and BTW that white girl should never have culture stole and worn that traditional Chinese dress). ;) :)
 
[quote="Paultzman" post=283531]Our Desi R[/quote]

If he’s got thag type of toughness we will be in great shape.
 
I am ok going into next season with what we have and expect us to make some noise but on the big man front would still like another.There are bigs that can RUN
 
I don’t think he’s a Desi Rodriguez type at all. More a Francisco Garcia type. Long, spreads the floor, smooth. If they passed on a big then fine, but from our history, if we do make the tourney, we will be smoked inevitably by some big guy from Gonzaga that’s 7’1 and just drops it in the bucket all day. One real big to defend that would be nice.
 
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