Welcome back Julian!

[prjohnnies]

You never know what happens in these scenarios when it isn’t obvious. Fans speculate because that’s what fans do. An objective reading of the tea leaves has always been returns unless something surprising happens. Going through the process and combine is beneficial to him - and the staff in recruiting. I know we’ve been disappointed before as SJU fans with this stuff, but recall Ponds came back for year 3 when that was perhaps an even dicier proposition. All you can do is hope the kid makes the best decision. 

If he does turn pro - and I don’t think he will from an outsiders perspective - we have to start figuring out what other coaches do to get kids to stay. Willard for example lost Whitehead - which probably kept his program out of sanctions/probation - but got Delgado, Powell and Mamu to all return for their senior seasons.  So much of this is individualized and luck, so who knows what the formula is or if there even is one. Perhaps Tiny taught him how to blackmail kids to get them to stay (I kid, I kid). 

 

[austour]

No need to try to fool ourselves. Without Julian, the upcoming season will be a real struggle. With Julian, we are still in need of a quality transfer to make some noise.  CMA's teams have overachieved so far, but I'm not so sure it will happen again if Julian decides to chase his dream.
 

Have to disagree.  Even without Julian I'm sure that this year's team will overachieve.  That's what CMA's teams do, almost Thibodeauesque.  However with Julian they would be overachieving from a pre season 3-6 prediction in the BE so overachieving would also achieve some substantial goals.  Without him they would be overachieving from a 6-9 pre season BE prediction so overachieving still might not be good enough for many of us.

 

[beast of the east]

......  The long outlook is to draw top players to your school, it helps enormously to have guys who have made the pros.   To a very large extent, having Julian drafted and in the NBA helps our program in the long run more than it hurts......

 

_____

Wishful thinking .... if true then having Harkless drafted 2012 at #15 in the first round of the NBA draft would have lead talented players to St. John's but did not.  

The hard cold reality is that in the last 20 years St. John's had had only 2 players drafted in the NBA draft: Harkless and Dom Pointer in the second round in 2015 and neither draft pick helped St. John's recruiting  "enormously".

My advice to Julian is to do whatever he thinks is best for him and his future.  By all accounts he is a win, on and off the basketball court which reflects favorably upon his Mom & Dad.

Are you saying one NBA player isn't enough or that it doesn't matter if a program has a lot of NBA players when it comes to recruiting.   I'm confused.    If you think that Coach Anderson's staff would not mention one of their players being in the NBA when they recruit, I think you are mistaken.    Whether just one player in the NBA will make a difference in recruiting, I'd agree, except that Julian would give us 3 players in the NBA, which is a heck of a lot better than zero.

 

[L J S A]

I don't think kids care if you're putting a kid 25th in the draft. They want to go to a school that produces six first rounders and multiple high lottery pics. No one with Duke and Kentucky on the radar is going to care about Julian.

But what we can sell to high 3*/low 4* kids with potential is that Julian was a 2/3* kid and the staff really played a large role in developing him. So that's why you should pick us over Seton Hall, Providence, Pitt, Illinois, and the rest of the usual suspects. 

 

[shamsman2]

......  The long outlook is to draw top players to your school, it helps enormously to have guys who have made the pros.   To a very large extent, having Julian drafted and in the NBA helps our program in the long run more than it hurts......


 

_____

Wishful thinking .... if true then having Harkless drafted 2012 at #15 in the first round of the NBA draft would have lead talented players to St. John's but did not.  

The hard cold reality is that in the last 20 years St. John's had had only 2 players drafted in the NBA draft: Harkless and Dom Pointer in the second round in 2015 and neither draft pick helped St. John's recruiting  "enormously".

My advice to Julian is to do whatever he thinks is best for him and his future.  By all accounts he is a win, on and off the basketball court which reflects favorably upon his Mom & Dad.

Are you saying one NBA player isn't enough or that it doesn't matter if a program has a lot of NBA players when it comes to recruiting.   I'm confused.    If you think that Coach Anderson's staff would not mention one of their players being in the NBA when they recruit, I think you are mistaken.    Whether just one player in the NBA will make a difference in recruiting, I'd agree, except that Julian would give us 3 players in the NBA, which is a heck of a lot better than zero.

I think he means, would be great if we had a player go pro, who had an impact. Harkless, Pointer and Sampson,   wouldn't be surprised if all don't make an NBA roster next year. This is a selfish perspective on my part, since Harkless and Sampson are making money and actualized a dream. But impact not much, for recruiting purposes, doesn't make us a draw.
 

 

[room112]

I know all the talk is if he will stay in the draft and leave the school. But you've got to give props to Julian. He could have easily left and gone to the highest bidder. I'm sure all of the blue bloods would have been lines up for his services. The fact that he would return speaks to his character and to the type of kids CMA is bringing in and what he's built. 

 

[boo haarvey]

I know all the talk is if he will stay in the draft and leave the school. But you've got to give props to Julian. He could have easily left and gone to the highest bidder. I'm sure all of the blue bloods would have been lines up for his services. The fact that he would return speaks to his character and to the type of kids CMA is bringing in and what he's built. 

It’s a sad state of affairs when we’re giving kids credit  and talking up their character merely for sticking with their school after having a good season.

 

[SLYFOXX1968]

I can’t imagine even 1 Redmen fan not wishing for Julian to return .  We all know he makes our Team better . But , like any Player with pro ambitions , we know his decision will be in his own best interests and that is the way it should be .   As for other Recruits CMA brought in , Cole and Moore , McGriff , Dunn they all left for their own greener Pastures . It’s what the new Transfer  rules ignited . Williams , Earlington , Roberts were. Mulllin Recruits who have opted out too . As did Figgy last year .  We have basically a whole new team for next season with only Posh and Wusu guaranteed to return .  It will be interesting for sure . There is no question CMA can Coach and we will see what he can do with a new lineup .  He now has all his own transfers and Recruits . 

 

[Mean Gene]

If Julian does not return I’m sure CMA and staff have a plan. They have to bring in two more players if Julian doesn’t come back and I’m sure they’re targeting players already just in case they have to deal with worse case scenario. Well, worst case for us, best case for Julian. 

 

[beast of the east]

Bottom line: you need NBA level talent to win big in college basketball.    Most NBA level talent leaves within 2 years of college ball.   It's empirical.   You have to recruit more than 1 NBA level talent every 4 or 5 years to be a top notch program.   Champ came out of nowhere to where he is today.   We need more talent at that level to win at this level.

 

[mm52]

Though maybe not exact, LJ's leaving last year certainly left a big void on the team and likely prevented CMA from signing Ray Salnave (whom, as it turned out, was not a huge loss given his lack of production at DePaul).  So, if Julian were to leave, I would expect that someone, like Julian did, will step up to try to fill the huge void he will leave.  This may make Traore's and Stanley's developments that much more important and accelerated.

 

[Roamer]

Julian is not an NBA caliber player at this time (neither first or second round draft).  Unless he wants to go overseas and make money he is probably coming back.  

 

[paultzman]

Pending NBA Draft Decisions That Will Shape the 2021–22 Men's College Hoops Season

St. John’s (Julian Champagnie)Champagnie and his twin brother, Justin (Pittsburgh), both broke out with big years as sophomores at their respective schools. While Justin has the higher NBA profile right now (No. 37 on SI’s Big Board, while Julian is No. 74) and has already decided to turn pro, Julian faces a critical decision. The Red Storm turned the corner in the second half of Mike Anderson’s second season, thanks in no small part to Julian’s All–Big East first team performance. Anderson has since been rewarded with a six-year extension, and the return of Julian would undoubtedly give him and St. John’s a centerpiece player to build the team around.

[URL]https://www.si.com/college/2021/06/14/nba-draft-2021-college-basketball-decisions[/URL]

 

[paultzman]

Key Players to Watch - Leave NBA Draft/Return?
Johnny Juzang
Ochai Agbaji
Josh Primo
Hunter Dickinson
Julian Champagnie
Matt Mayer
Joe Wieskamp
Ron Harper Jr.
EJ Liddell
Aaron Wiggins
Trey Murphy
Remy Martin
Jaden Shackelford
Armando Bacot
Isaiah Mobley
Jalen Wilson

@CollHoopsChat

 

[paultzman]

https://twitter.com/nypost_brazille/status/1404806759894687757?s=21

 

[paultzman]

St. John's F @JulianChampagn2  was invited to the NBA Combine and will work out for Boston tomorrow, per source.

Has a couple other NBA team workouts scheduled.

Will decide by July 7 whether to return to school or not.
Zagoria

 

[PharmDJohnnie11]

I would be shocked if he came back. His game is very translatable to the NBA. Some team is going to fall in love with his shooting. 

 

[paultzman]

I would be shocked if he came back. His game is very translatable to the NBA. Some team is going to fall in love with his shooting. 

Disagree, his limited size will dictate playing wing and imo he is just not quick enough at this time to guard at that spot. I think he returns, but been wrong before.

 

[usguard]

Was thinking after all this time he would not  come back but
   have to agree with your assessment 
 

 

[prjohnnies]

I would be shocked if he came back. His game is very translatable to the NBA. Some team is going to fall in love with his shooting. 

Disagree, his limited size will dictate playing wing and imo he is just not quick enough at this time to guard at that spot. I think he returns, but been wrong before.

Agreed.  He needs to improve quickness, strength, lateral movement, ball-handling and the ability to get his shot.  He struggled creating for himself at times against college kids; a different universe with NBA/professional athletes.   He can do that at the college level and position himself better for next year, perhaps even playing himself into the first round where the guaranteed money lies.