NEW YORK — St. John’s freshman forward JaKarr Sampson was named the 2012-13 Big East Rookie of the Year on Tuesday and said he “wouldn’t mind” returning to St. John’s for his sophomore season.
The 6-foot-8 Sampson from Akron, Ohio becomes the second straight St. John’s player to earn Big East Rookie of the Year honors and the third overall. Moe Harkless took home the league’s top freshman honor in 2011-12, while David Russell earned the award in 1979-80.
“I’m very confident, so I felt this was a possibility from the first day I was at St. John’s,” Sampson said. “I hold myself to a high standard. I felt like I could win it from day one.”
Ironically, Sampson was initially supposed to begin his St. John’s career alongside Harkless in 2011, but was deemed academically ineligible by the NCAA.
He then did a postgraduate year at Brewster (N.H.) Academy and came to St. John’s in 2012.
Had the two played together in 2011-12, only one of them would have won the award and St. John’s would not have won back-to-back honors.
“They’re so different in terms of energy,” Johnnies coach Steve Lavin said. “Moe had a quiet, understated game and was a quiet assassin because he was very effective. JaKarr has this boundless energy and influences the game with his zeal, talent, length and versatility at both ends of the floor. JaKarr probably has as much enthusiasm as any player I’ve coached. Energy is one of his gifts, he brings electricity and energy to the game, that separates or distinguishes him from other players. He has a passion and love for the game that’s very clear. Moe had a very quiet, understated, smooth, refined persona on the court. JaKarr has that Magic Johnson type of energy on the court. It’s infectious and it rubs off on anyone around him and it’s been like that from the very first time I met him. That very first time I saw him play in that skills clinic here in June of 2010, I could tell that this kid had that electricity and was just a bright light and stood out. He still has that today.”
While Harkless — now with the Orlando Magic — was the No. 15 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, it sounds as if Sampson is leaning toward returning to campus. NBA scouts like his potential but he might do well to stay in school another year.
A seven-time Big East Rookie of the Week, Sampson leads all league freshmen in scoring (14.9 ppg, 12th overall) and rebounding (6.6 rpg, 12th overall). In league play, his 15.1 ppg ranked 12th among all players.
“I’m not sure yet,” Sampson said of his NBA future. “I don’t want to judge myself. I’m developing and trying to get better every day. It’s for the people in the NBA to decide if I’m ready. I won’t go to the NBA unless I feel my game is ready for it. I still have a lot of growing to do and need to polish my game. I’m not in any rush to make a decision. I want to take my time.”
If Sampson were to return next season, he would be part of a loaded frontcourt that will also include fellow Big East All-Rookie selection Chris Obekpa and Orlando Sanchez, who was given a waiver to play next year.
“I wouldn’t mind coming back another year,” Sampson said.
Lavin said he expects Sampson back in 2013-14.
“JaKarr and I have spoken about it and he’s really look forward to the group of players that are coming back here to St. John’s and wants to be a part of us winning big, he’s been very clear about that,” Lavin said.
“I always tell our kids, you owe it to yourself to get a sense of where you are in terms of the next level, but it’s a very personal choice. I see myself as a coach being a sounding board and a conduit for getting accurate information so that kids can make an informed decision that will affect the rest of their life. I’m not one of those coaches that gets salty at kids if they’re interested exploring playing at the highest level. To this point, JaKarr has indicated to me that his focus is on coming back next year and being a part of what we do as we build towards a really special season next year. He really enjoys his teammates and the college experience and you can see it when he’s on the court, when he’s bouncing down the hallways here at Taffner, at our games at the Garden or when he comes through our offices upstairs. He’s a bright light, he’s really enjoying his time here at St. John’s and I’d be really surprised if he’s not with us next year.”
Charles Barkley told SNY.tv Monday that too many players come out early, and another year of seasoning could help players like Sampson.
“You can’t look yourself in the mirror after one year of college and say, ‘I’m ready for the NBA,'” Barkley said. “That’s not an honest thing.”
“I don’t want to just make it to the NBA; I want to be a pro in the league,” Sampson said. “I want to be an All-Star and be there for a long timedon’t want to be there for two years, and have to play in the D-League or go overseas. When I go to the NBA, I plan on being there for a long time. I’m going to let my game develop, continue to get stronger and keep getting better.”That, in turn, could help prepare him better for the NBA.
