As last year’s men’s basketball team captain Joel Soriano sets his sights on the NBA, head coach Rick Pitino and company may have found his replacement. 

Following a dormant opening period in the transfer portal full of interest, rumors and visits, the Red Storm finally made a move. On April 23, USC’s 7-foot-1 big man Vincent Iwuchukwu officially committed to St. John’s. In limited minutes last season, Iwuchukwu tallied 5.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and one block per game.

Huge expectations surrounded the Texas-native heading into the 2022-23 campaign until tragedy struck. During a July workout, the former-five star recruit suffered cardiac arrest, preventing him from showing off his full potential in his freshman season.

Six months after suffering cardiac arrest at practice, Vincent Iwuchukwu has made his collegiate debut last night. 🙏🏾❤️ pic.twitter.com/LeLBMcRyd3

— AfroBallers (@afroballers) January 13, 2023

Prior to the incident, members of the Southern California coaching staff were convinced Iwuchukwu was poised for a breakout. 

In the summer of 2023, he underwent back surgery, holding him out of play through the first two games of his sophomore season. 

His massive frame and elite shot-blocking ability should prove to translate seamlessly to Pitino’s patented zone defense. Iwuchukwu’s size could open up the possibility for Zuby Ejiofor to move from center to forward, providing the Red Storm with a front court who would be a matchup nightmare defensively. Ejiofor averaged 4.3 points and 3.1 rebounds last season in a backup role, but his impact extends beyond the numbers. 

With a full off-season of recovery and development under Pitino’s staff, the 25th ranked recruit in the 2022 class aims to showcase the talent scouts originally gawked over.