NEW YORK — St. John’s coach Chris Mullin does not sound optimistic about Rysheed Jordan’s return and says the Red Storm will likely have to go with incoming freshman Marcus LoVett at point guard if Jordan’s college career is done.
“We’re waiting on his grades and then seeing what his status is academically so once that gets situated then we’ll know,” Mullin said of Jordan before throwing out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.
The 6-foot-3 rising junior is expected to be ruled academically ineligible for the fall semester and may have played his last game for the team. He averaged 14.1 points and 3.1 assists last season and would have been one of the best returning guards in the Big East Conference.
“[I’m] not real concerned,” Mullin said when asked about his level of concern. “I’ve had good dealings with him and the academic piece is really the thing that’s out of my control. I’m not concerned one way or the other. I’ve had good dealings with him and we’ve all gotta take care of our own responsibilities one way or the other.”
Without Jordan, the 5-11 LoVett will likely get the nod as the starting floor general in Mullin’s first year on the job.
“I’d like to get him in the gym first before I put him anywhere,” Mullin said of LoVett, who averaged approximately 25 points, eight rebounds and seven assists last season. “And then I gain my confidence from that.”
Asked if there were other options besides LoVett at the point if Jordan is ineligible, Mullin said: “Yeah, we’ll figure that out. I’m not really opposed to playing three guards together, mixing and matching lineups. All these guys, until I get them in the gym and work with them, I’m really not concerned or predetermining anything until I get in the gym.”
Still, Jordan would be a junior and LoVett only a freshman, so Jordan would have an advantage in terms of experience, right?
“Absolutely,” Mullin said.
St. John’s could have as many as two scholarships remaining if Jordan doesn’t return. Asked if he is still looking for another play, Mullin said, “If we can find the right guy.”
Asked if it was an active search, he said, “Always.”
“I’m not really set on playing the game with one point guard and one two guard, to me it’s more the level of player, position-wise, that’s up to me to figure out,” he said. “Do I anticipate doing something today? No. Will I do something in a month or a few weeks? Maybe.”
Mullin and his staff have recruited virtually an entirely new team, with seven new players coming in to add to five returning players, including Jordan.
“I’m happy with the way things are going,” Mullin said. “But again a player and a coach, you judge things by wins and losses so there’s really nothing to judge [yet] really.”
