RJ Luis

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fordham96 said:
He has been planning on it and the benching had zero to do with it.

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The article you reference is from 2 months ago. This is from 2 weeks ago:

“RJ was a good freshman [at UMass], solid, but you didn’t know what you were getting. So here are two stars, very underpaid. I’m sure they’ll be at [general manager] Matt [Abdelmassih’s] window as soon as the season ends, but they’re not going anywhere.”

nypost.com

St. John’s title team wasn’t ‘built by NIL money’: Rick Pitino

Rick Pitino wanted to set the record straight: St. John’s isn’t the product of a high Name, Image & Likeness payroll.
nypost.com nypost.com
 
classof2010 said:
Good luck RJ! Was a very good Johnny great kid! However, will be looked at as our John Starks! Wish you the best hopefully he’s drafted.
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Are Lefty and Scott our John Starks too? Because they both shot a worse percentage than RJ? Or, are Kadary and Sim also our John Starks? Because they both played minutes in the teens due to foul trouble and the better one fouled out with 7 left in a 2 point game.
 
carmineabbatiello said:
Are Lefty and Scott our John Starks too? Because they both shot a worse percentage than RJ? Or, are Kadary and Sim also our John Starks? Because they both played minutes in the teens due to foul trouble and the better one fouled out with 7 left in a 2 point game.
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Yes. We had a team of John Starks. This team played terrific defense. Zuby has a heart and motor that don't stop. But beyond that the offense was ... Offensive.

I fully expect that next year's team will be far more functional from the standpoint of sharing the ball and shooting.

If you are watching any of the rest of the NCAA tournament with the slightest bit of.objectivity you can see how last year's St John's team compared to the top 10 or 15 teams in the country.

Periodic reminder that the team beat ZERO ranked teams outside of the conference and the only ranked teams it best in the conference weren't at the end of the year.

Maybe - maybe - the team wasn't great and overachieved by heart, toughness and great coaching.
 
Redenbacher said:
The article you reference is from 2 months ago. This is from 2 weeks ago:

“RJ was a good freshman [at UMass], solid, but you didn’t know what you were getting. So here are two stars, very underpaid. I’m sure they’ll be at [general manager] Matt [Abdelmassih’s] window as soon as the season ends, but they’re not going anywhere.”

nypost.com

St. John’s title team wasn’t ‘built by NIL money’: Rick Pitino

Rick Pitino wanted to set the record straight: St. John’s isn’t the product of a high Name, Image & Likeness payroll.
nypost.com nypost.com
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So what, he was speaking off the cuff about how NIL does not dictate everything about the roster.

His comments earlier this year were specific to what he expected each player to do he was clear on that.

Lastly I don't care what you don't buy.
He wants RJ to go pro and so does RJ. But his agent thinks he can get a better NIL.
 
paultzman said:
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Realistically, RJ accomplished a great deal this past season and won many awards and accolades and even overcame a debilitating physical condition. The only thing he was unable to do was to be a key member of a national championship team. If he can't replicate this past season next year, it could cost him quite a bit of money. That's a lot of pressure to be put on a very young man. Like the rest of the posters on this site, I'm sorry he will not be playing for the Johnnies next year. That being said, I understand his decision.
 
fordham96 said:
So what, he was speaking off the cuff about how NIL does not dictate everything about the roster.

His comments earlier this year were specific to what he expected each player to do he was clear on that.

Lastly I don't care what you don't buy.
He wants RJ to go pro and so does RJ. But his agent thinks he can get a better NIL.
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I neither expect nor care for you to care what I buy or don’t buy. This is a message board to discuss SJU, I’m not here to impress you.
 
Unfortunately this is all a big business now and it all comes down to money. RJ doing what is best for him and perhaps Rick the same If Rick allocated 2M to RJ and also supported him testing the draft waters it could end the season. Assume he passes on players knowing RJ will return but he then impresses at the combine, or whatever, and his stock rises. Then Rick loses his most valuable player without a replacement and the season is sunk.

At least now we will know our roster sooner and Rick can start getting the pieces to gell a lot l quicker. At the end of the day maybe this is a mutual thing? I can see the point regarding the last 5 minutes of the Ark game but at the same those 5 minutes do not erase 2 years in a system. Rick was an integral part of RJ's life and professional development and I can't see 5 minutes in one game destroying the previous 2 years.
 
Redenbacher said:
I’m not buying that 2 weeks ago Pitino knew he’d be replacing him.
But then again, maybe that explains the benching.
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RJ's effort in the Arkansas game was awful He didn't run. He didn't switch. He didn't pass. I don't think RP was going to pay the amount RJ wanted, as well as not being able to trust him again in a big game. I can't really blame him also. I loved RJ for the entire year but something was off in and around Arkansas that caused this fallout. If you read RP's tweets, RJ is not welcome back so there it is.
 
I love RJ and will miss having him on the team, and will always appreciate his contributions to the program and our magical season this year.

That being said I'm having an easier time getting over this because I know how good of a place we are in and have the resources to replace him.
 
Redmen88 said:
RJ's effort in the Arkansas game was awful He didn't run. He didn't switch. He didn't pass. I don't think RP was going to pay the amount RJ wanted, as well as not being able to trust him again in a big game. I can't really blame him also. I loved RJ for the entire year but something was off in and around Arkansas that caused this fallout. If you read RP's tweets, RJ is not welcome back so there it is.
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I fully believe your last line is not true. If RJ came back to Rick today with a reasonable ask/number (to SJU) I’d be shocked if they didn’t take him back. Very soon that won’t be the case bc they will allot the $ elsewhere.
 
As we all know the landscape has changed where every player is on a one year contact.
We are very fortunate to have had RJ for 2 years.
Instead of lamenting not having him back, I focus and appreciate the return of Zuby in SJU red for a 3rd season. Onward to the 2025-26 campaign.
 
Bobby123 said:
I guess when you look at it - if we paid say RJ 500k and Zuby 250k last year - we really maximized the value of our investment and got a great deal.
This year they are both worth and asking 7 figures.
Zuby at a million plus - Rick has to have him
and they locked him up.
RJ at 2 million — will not be able to get 3 more players with that spend and his style of play will not maximize this type of investment. Sometimes it is difficult to teach BB IQ
Rick knows he will not win the NCAA tourney unless he gets 3 portal players.
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The right 3 portal players.
 
RJ will be LUCKY to be a second round pick and that is off potential and in general what he showed during the regular season. That being said, the team that was closest to NBA caliber with length and size (Arkansas) he played his worst game. The lights were on and he wilted. That is a bad closing argument if you want to make the NBA right now with how competitive it is. He let his agent get in his head too much when he could have came back for his final season fully committed to get better. They would have worked out a good NIL if he fully came back. As it stands, he has one good season of college ball with a bad game at the most critical time of the season when the lights shine brightest.

And for the record, I agreed with RIck's benching of him at the end of the game. Well-deserved.
 
Howie71 said:
I fully believe your last line is not true. If RJ came back to Rick today with a reasonable ask/number (to SJU) I’d be shocked if they didn’t take him back. Very soon that won’t be the case bc they will allot the $ elsewhere.
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100000%
 
FriendofJohnnie said:
RJ will be LUCKY to be a second round pick and that is off potential and in general what he showed during the regular season. That being said, the team that was closest to NBA caliber with length and size (Arkansas) he played his worst game. The lights were on and he wilted. That is a bad closing argument if you want to make the NBA right now with how competitive it is. He let his agent get in his head too much when he could have came back for his final season fully committed to get better. They would have worked out a good NIL if he fully came back. As it stands, he has one good season of college ball with a bad game at the most critical time of the season when the lights shine brightest.

And for the record, I agreed with RIck's benching of him at the end of the game. Well-deserved.
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NBA not going to focus on one game. Depends how he does in workouts and combines.
 
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