The Johnnies have scored two magnificent guards, AJ Storr and Kolby King, as high school athletes across the country put pen to paper last Wednesday to sign their national letters of intent during the early days of the process. The 4-1 Men’s Basketball team has a bright future to look forward to with these new recruits, and here’s why:
Four-star recruit Storr will add great height and depth to the St. John’s roster. He is the highest rated recruit in Mike Anderson’s era of coaching with the team, and St. John’s first top-50 prospect since Shamorie Ponds in 2016. Anderson was able to reel him in against some great competitors like Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma and LSU.
The Illinois native averaged 11 points and four rebounds per game last season with one of the nation’s most elite high school teams. He also helped lead AZ Compass Prep to the GEICO High School National semi-finals last season, but chose to play in Bradenton, Florida at the IMG Academy prefacing his college debut next year.
Last summer, Storr played with the Vegas Elite in the Nike Elite Basketball League, where he averaged 12.1 points per game. His impressive shooting resume has not been unnoticed by Coach Anderson, who regards him as a great addition to next year’s roster.
“AJ is an unquestioned talent and I think he has the ability to shape the direction of our program moving forward.” Anderson spoke highly about the new recruit in a press release.
Storr’s impressive shooting ability will come in very handy next year as defenders across the nation have long feared his shot behind the arc. His strength and size will match up nicely with the tenacious attitude that has taken over the Red Storm team in their first five games of the 2021 season.
Besides his abilities on the court and how well they fit with the team now, Storr ultimately made his decision to come to Queens because of the feeling he got when he stepped into Madison Square Garden for the first time and imagined himself playing in the World’s Most Famous Arena.
His original commitment to Illinois fell through early last year when some of their assistant coaches left the program, so the impact of his visit to New York was severe. In an effort to get to know Storr, the entire St. John’s staff took a role in recruiting the top-prospect, which made his mother feel like he would fit in perfectly in a big city school.
Storr spoke of his experience at St. John’s with great pride, saying “it’s not about the name [of the school]. It’s about fit, what’s best for you.”
During a dinner with current guard Julian Champagnie, Storr was able to learn all about his development under Coach Anderson and the St. John’s staff. Champagnie grew from being an underrated prospect to one of the biggest players in the Big East conference. Champagnie is looking to be a draft prospect next year for the NBA, something that Storr can definitely see in himself as he looks up to the commitment Champagnie made during his time at St. John’s to get to that next level of basketball. The St. John’s coaching staff is looking forward to having Storr, as he looks to be a great replacement for Champagnie in the guard position next season.
Kolby King, a 6 foot 2 guard from Pembroke Pines, Florida is a special talent as well. His natural defending and shooting abilities helped lead his high school team to the 5A state championship last March, where he scored 27 points in the final game. His developing game is something that Anderson is looking forward to seeing in his future with the Johnnies.
King is a flashy offensive player with a great intelligence for ball movement, but he certainly has a defense-first mentality as a guard. Anderson was able to recruit him amongst some big name schools as well, such as Illinois, Murray State, Cincinnati and Texas Tech.
His speed, agility and quickness is something that can certainly liven up the St. John’s bench next year as Anderson looks to strengthen their position as a powerhouse of the Big East.
King’s decision ultimately came down to his relationship with Coach Anderson, who he says made him feel at home during his visit to campus. In a statement on Twitter, King announced that he was “110% committed” to St. John’s Basketball. His outgoing personality makes him a great fit for the big city of New York where he can already see himself as a King.
Four-star recruit Storr and six-foot-two guard King have proven their talents at the high school level and are ready to gear up for the Red Storm next season in Queens. Both Storr and King offer up different styles of basketball that will match up perfectly with the growing Red Storm offense and defense. St. John’s fans certainly have something to look forward to in the upcoming season with these two new additions to the squad.
