Change of Heart: Aaron Scott Commits to St. John’s

Head coach Rick Pitino and company land their second commit in as many days.

Kyler Fox, Managing Editor • April 24, 2024

Torch Graphic / Megan Chapman
Photo Courtesy / Youtube The Green Room

A mostly quiet offseason for the Red Storm has increased in volume quickly.

After landing USC big man Vincent Iwuchukwu just 24 hours ago, on April 24 St. John’s secured a commitment from North Texas forward Aaron Scott. He originally visited the university on April 15. The 6-foot-7 senior averaged 11 points and 5.6 rebounds per game last season while shooting 41.9% from the field.

All signs pointed to a commitment to Oklahoma for Scott, until a late night push from head coach Rick Pitino got the job done, per Trilly Donovan.

The hall-of-famer had the opportunity to see Scott’s ability up close on November 23 of last season in the Charleston Classic. During their 53-52 victory over the Mean Green, St. John’s watched as Scott led the way for North Texas with 13 points and seven rebounds in the narrow victory.

The versatile wing’s defensive talent jumps off the screen. His lanky frame and expertise in erasing shots around the rim provides the Red Storm with a primary ball defender immediately. Notably, St. John’s struggled last season against top-tier Big East guards Tyler Kolek (27 pts., 13 assts.) on Feb. 10 and Jaden Epps (23 pts., 3 assts.) on March 9.

Aaron Scott’s defensive versatility was on full display at the Barclays Center vs Fordham today. 6 blocks, 2 steals and 11 rebounds for the 6-foot-7, 20-year old wing from North Texas. pic.twitter.com/rz6lYL7qtI

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) December 10, 2023

While many fans were ready to hit the panic button following a dry opening stretch in the transfer portal, receiving two commitments from potential starters in as many days should prove enough to stir up more optimism as the offseason carries on.

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About the Contributor

Kyler Fox, Managing Editor

Kyler is a senior journalism student in his second year with The Torch serving as Managing Editor. Outside of The Torch, he is a contributor for Brooklyn Nets on SI and A Daly Dose of Hoops. When Kyler isn’t writing, you can find him catching up on developing stories, playing basketball with his friends or checking out the latest sneaker drops. Kyler can be reached at [email protected].