*Update: SJU's Keith Thomas ineligible

[SJHooper]

How can we still seriously compete with only Obekpa as the only proven Big East big man on our team? And even he is weak offensively. He is only known for defense. Greene? Pointer? These guys are not bigs. Even with Thomas our front court is going to be below average. Without him it will be a disaster. I'm not comfortable making Obekpa carry the entire front court rebounding and scoring responsibilities. He can defend in the form of blocked shots. Other than that is asking a lot for him. I don't think it's crazy at all to say our ceiling goes from 2nd to 5th if Thomas is gone. We would get pounded on the boards every game. Opponents would get tons of second chance points and we would lose many second chances. Rebounding is still a concern with him on the team. Without him? We might be one of the worst rebounding teams in the Big East if not the country.

Let's hope that nothing happens and we don't have to explore this further.

[adoraz11]

"How can we still seriously compete with only Obekpa as the only proven Big East big man on our team?"

KT isn't a proven Big East big man either. If this means more of Pointer with Amar, Jones, or ADR taking some minutes that's okay. Pointer is a senior we'll be fine. And as I said before, KT is not in the starting 5.

[hoyahooligan]

I'm actually with Hooper on this one. If thomas can't play it's a major major hit to St. John's. No one else on the team can rebound. Obekpa is a terrible rebounder because he tries to block everything in sight. Everyone else in the front court is either undersized or overweight. I had questions about St. John's front court with Thomas. With out him St. John's will struggle.

[SJHooper]

Isn't Pointer like 6'6? He is not a big man. KT is about 6'9 and bulging with muscle. He has a Big East big man's body. Pointer is scrawny and you could make the case he was one of the most overrated recruits from his class. He was a Jordan Brand All American and I believe a top 25 recruit nationally. Before Jordan came he was the highest recruit Lavin got here in Queens.

KT is not proven yet of course, but I'd take my bet any day that KT rebounds way better than Pointer, Amar, or ADR. He was the top rebounder in all of JUCO and is considered an animal on the boards. He got major attention from some good schools. After him our options are Obekpa (an ok rebounder), ADR (too fat can barely move including jumping and running), JDR (couldn't even find time at FIU), or Amar who is from the Italian team that a non-NCAA St. John's team scorched making them look like a HS team. Amar is a pure shooter, not a rebounder. He couldn't even dunk at the tip off. What makes you think he's the next Kevin Love? I'm not being pessimistic, I'm being real.

Again, let's hope KT is not a factor in this investigation. But to act like there will not be a big negative impact both recruiting wise and winning wise losing him is just being in denial. Remember we are recruiting IB. What happens if he hears that Thomas is gone? Can only hurt us.

[adoraz11]

I'm actually with Hooper on this one. If thomas can't play it's a major major hit to St. John's. No one else on the team can rebound. Obekpa is a terrible rebounder because he tries to block everything in sight. Everyone else in the front court is either undersized or overweight. I had questions about St. John's front court with Thomas. With out him St. John's will struggle.

If that's the case why isn't be being mentioned in the starting lineup? i don't disagree that it would be a blow to the team. It would be. I don't disagree we a have rebounding issue (and a 3 point shooting issue). We do, but KT hasn't yet proven he will be playing big minutes and a lot of rebounding has to do with effort, which the team didn't commit to last year. What I'm disagreeing with is that our ceiling would be fifth and just the tone of the entire OP in general. I mean the title isn't even sensationalism, it is a flat out lie. According to the story the WCC coach was fired 9 days ago and was connected to the 2 players currently at the Florida school. KT's name wasn't mentioned anywhere in the story just one journalist who brought up the possibility which is obvious since KT went to WCC.

[SJHooper]

It has to do with effort? I think it does have to do with effort: once you have the prerequisite SIZE to rebound in the first place. Pointer is 6'5. Big East bigs are 6'8-7'0. He's nothing more than a bigger than average guard who can defend well at times but offers zero offense. He claims to have worked on his 3PT shot but from experience he can't hit the broad side of a barn from outside.

How can I be implied to be a pessimist when a respected sports writer just said Thomas might be a part of this investigation? It's called connecting the lines and making inferences. Not pulling random things out of the air. Me and you both have the same hope that this turns out to be a big nothing. But with recent history I'm not so sure.

And by the way you don't always start your best players. Sometimes you want your better players coming off the bench to provide a spark like Obekpa last year.

[adoraz11]

Also, remember that KT's specialty is rebounding but we don't know how good the rest of his game will be in year 1. Think about going into last year when our big issue was 3 point shooting (and still is today). So we brought in Max Hooper who set some YouTube records but wasn't good enough at other aspects of the game and was taken out of the rotation. Even his 3 point shooting skills didn't translate well in games. In the end we didn't need him and were in it until the very end.

At least the rest of the players are proven already. And it is very possible to finish better than fifth without KT. We finished third last year and have 4 of the 5 starters back from last year.

[adoraz11]

It has to do with effort? I think it does have to do with effort: once you have the prerequisite SIZE to rebound in the first place. Pointer is 6'5. Big East bigs are 6'8-7'0. He's nothing more than a bigger than average guard who can defend well at times but offers zero offense. He claims to have worked on his 3PT shot but from experience he can't hit the broad side of a barn from outside.

How can I be implied to be a pessimist when a respected sports writer just said Thomas might be a part of this investigation? It's called connecting the lines and making inferences. Not pulling random things out of the air. Me and you both have the same hope that this turns out to be a big nothing. But with recent history I'm not so sure.

And by the way you don't always start your best players. Sometimes you want your better players coming off the bench to provide a spark like Obekpa last year.

KT might be connected just out of guilt by association. Did you read how serious the issues were with the other 2 players? One guy apparently only took ONE class there. If something was up with KT I think we'd have something more substantial by now. The sport writer's tweet may be nothing more than SJU investigating further, which they will need to do regardless in a situation like this.

[hoyahooligan]

I'm actually with Hooper on this one. If thomas can't play it's a major major hit to St. John's. No one else on the team can rebound. Obekpa is a terrible rebounder because he tries to block everything in sight. Everyone else in the front court is either undersized or overweight. I had questions about St. John's front court with Thomas. With out him St. John's will struggle.

If that's the case why isn't be being mentioned in the starting lineup? i don't disagree that it would be a blow to the team. It would be. I don't disagree we a have rebounding issue (and a 3 point shooting issue). We do, but KT hasn't yet proven he will be playing big minutes and a lot of rebounding has to do with effort, which the team didn't commit to last year. What I'm disagreeing with is that our ceiling would be fifth and just the tone of the entire OP in general. I mean the title isn't even sensationalism, it is a flat out lie. According to the story the WCC coach was fired 9 days ago and was connected to the 2 players currently at the Florida school. KT's name wasn't mentioned anywhere in the story just one journalist who brought up the possibility which is obvious since KT went to WCC.

Not being mentioned in the starting line up by whom? I would definitely start him. If Lavin's not planning on it then just add it to the huge pile of evidence that he's not a good coach.

I think St. John's could finish anywhere from 3rd-6th with Thomas. With out him it's more like 4th-7th so yeah I don't think Hooper is that far off. And only St. John's fans count themselves as finishing tied for 3rd. Everyone else respects the tie breakers. You finished 5th last year and may again this year.

[NJRedman]

Oh god...Hooper, you're like the Stever of the St. John's BBall community. The sky is always falling and we're always F-ed. Get a grip, this is pathetic.