PHILADELPHIA — Rysheed Jordan chose to leave his hometown for college, but he enjoyed playing one last all-star game here Sunday night in the Mary Kline Classic.
“It was fun,” the 6-foot-4 St. John’s pledge told SNY.tv after scoring 12 points, including two 3-pointers, as Team Courage beat Team Perseverance, 116-110, in the Senior Game.
“Basically, it was like our last all-star game so I just wanted to come back and play at home. I had a lot of family here.”
After choosing the Johnnies over Temple and UCLA in news first reported by SNY.tv, Jordan will begin summer school next month at St. John’s and said he’s ultimately eyeing a career in the NBA.
First, he will make the trip with the Johnnies to Paris, Rome and Barcelona in August for 10 days of practice and potentially five exhibition games.
Jordan said St. John’s coach Steve Lavin is looking at using him as a point guard, with returning guard D’Angelo Harrison at the two. St. John’s also has guards Jamal Branch and Phil Greene in the backcourt.
“[He will use me] more as a one,” Jordan said, “with D’Angelo off the ball and coming off picks.”
Harrison is working his way back to the St. John’s team after getting into Lavin’s doghouse and getting suspended at the end of last season.
It remains unclear how Jordan and Harrison — two players who can tend to dominate the ball — will coexist in the St. John’s backcourt.
One joke going around is that neither player will want to inbound the ball because they both are afraid they won’t get it back.
Jordan dismissed those concerns.
“I think we’ll play great,” he said. “We be all unselfish. I’m starting to shoot the ball good. D’Angelo’s shooting the ball pretty good, I’m a great passer.”
Mostly, Jordan said he’s looking forward to getting to St. John’s and playing in the new-look Big East.
“I didn’t want to stay home and I didn’t want to go too far away so St. John’s was the choice,” he said. “It ain’t too far from home. My family can get up there and get back.”
In Jordan, returning Big East Rookie of the Year JaKarr Sampson and center Chris Obekpa — who has been invited to the Amar’e Stoudemire / Anthony Davis Nike Big Man Skills Camp later this month in New Jersey — St. John’s has two or three potential pros.
Jordan said the NBA is his ultimate goal.
“Yes, I’m not going to say one-and-done, but that was my dream,” he said. “If it takes more than one, I’ll just keep working.”
