The limit does not exist

St. John’s is playing MyGM mode in NBA 2K. It just keeps adding good players to its roster.

Let's get to it.

1. Chris Ledlum heads back to NYC

Apparently, 13 scholarship players are not enough.

During a summer when many major college basketball programs aren’t filling every scholarship, new St. John’s coach Rick Pitino is pushing the limits on how many players can fit on a roster.

They had 13 before Simeon Wilcher announced he was headed to Queens last month. Now, Harvard transfer and Brooklyn native Chris Ledlum will do the same.

A multi-positional forward, Ledlum averaged 18 points and eight rebounds at Harvard. He originally committed to Tennessee, but the return of Josiah Jordan-James was going to cost him some playing time. Ledlum’s a graduate transfer, so there won’t be any waivers needed. That won’t be the case with others on the Johnnies’ roster.

And what a roster.

Guards Daniss Jenkins and Jordan Dingle will put up impressive scoring numbers, but more importantly, set up Ledlum and all-conference center Joel Soriano for clean looks on the interior. The only glaring hole in the starting lineup was at the 4. That’s no longer a concern with Ledlum entering the fold as a highly-skilled forward who can stretch defenses with his perimeter game and ability to attack the hoop.

St John’s has made only three NCAA Tournament appearances since Y2K, something its basketball-loving supporters are ready to see end. Expect Top-25 caliber play from what’s without question one of the most complete starting fives in the Big East.

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2. Arizona’s gem waiting in the wings

Recruiting rankings offer an important guide to incoming freshmen, but it can sometimes be more art than science. For example, both Kris and Keegan Murray weren’t top-200 recruits in the class of 2020, but both became first-round picks.

Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd seems to think KJ Lewis, a top-100 ranked prospect in the class of 2023, also fits that mold.

“For whatever reason, there wasn’t much to do surrounding KJ (Lewis) but I think there should have been and when we see him play throughout his career we’re gonna realize what a talent he is,” he said during a recent press conference.

That’s not an insignificant statement coming from one of the top coaches at discovering talent.

Arizona is a lock as a preseason Top 25 team and likely will be the Pac-12 favorite. Lewis has a complicated path to playing time with experienced names like Kylan Boswell, Caleb Love and Jaden Bradley vying for most of the backcourt playing time.

So where does he enter the equation?

With his chiseled 6-4, 190-pound frame, the Duncanville, Texas, product boasts toughness and defensive ability that will make him difficult to keep on the bench. That sounds similar to another incredibly important Wildcat — Dalen Terry, who played 20.6 minutes per game as a freshman in 2020-21, then vaulted into stardom during Lloyd’s first season in Tucson and ended as a first-round pick.

Lewis has room to grow as a shooter and playmaker; he posted a negative turnover-to-assist ratio during the summer circuit in 2022 and shooting isn’t his strength. But with his other tools, he might be one of Arizona’s more valuable players.

3. No Pitino? No Problem.

Rick Pitino, as you know, left Iona for St. John’s. But the Gaels got themselves another winner to lead the program. Tobin Anderson was a head coach at nearly every level in college hoops before taking the Fairleigh Dickinson job last season. All he did there was lead the Knights to a historic win over No. 1 seed Purdue in the NCAA Tournament.

You probably watched that. And you might’ve seen Anderson as part of our Off the Carousel feature as well.

But you’re probably wondering, what type of player is Anderson looking for at Iona? He wants guys who play hard for 40 minutes, defenders who pressure ball-handlers and guards who can get to the hoop.

The two biggest examples of Anderson-style players are Dyersburg State (JUCO) transfer Greg Gordon and California transfer Joel Brown. Brown is a proven lead guard and defender, earning 93 starts in four seasons at Cal. He’s not a shooter, but he’s the head of the snake for Anderson’s pressure defense.

Gordon’s toughness, defense and ability to self-create should make him an instant plug-and-play starter for Iona. The 6-5 guard averaged 22 points and 10 rebounds per game last season.

Gordon’s scoring should help relieve pressure on returning 7-footer Osborn Shema. The super senior is the lone returning Gael, and he produced seven points and four boards in 26 minutes per game. He’s not a natural rim protector, but his length ensures he’ll be on the floor.

Where will the Gaels find their perimeter pop? Wheza Panzo, a 6-7 wing from Stetson pumped in 76-of-162 triples (46%) last season and figures to make a significant impact from the jump. Harvard transfer Idan Tretout improved his 3-point percentage from 23 to 36 last season. If he can maintain that, he’ll also see the floor.

Iona could struggle at the start as it transitions to a new coach who brought in nearly an entirely new roster. But expect it to once again be vying for the MAAC title. Most programs are dealing with the same issue. Fourteen of the 15 players who earned All-MAAC honors left the conference. Rider’s Mervin James is the only returning all-conference player and he appeared on the All-MAAC second-team.

Iona’s won at least 20 games in 11 of the last 15 seasons and made eight NCAA Tournaments in that span. Anderson’s track record should allow him to meet those standards again.

Workaholics

Do college basketball coaches have great jobs? Yes. Do they have jobs that never allow them to take any time off? That’s also true. Cincinnati coach Wes Miller explained recently on the Goodman and Hummel podcast how changes to college hoops have made it difficult for coaches to adjust their approaches.

Links as you search for Barbie and Oppenheimer tickets.

• Baylor and Michigan State are reportedly playing this season.

• The 2023 Veterans Classic matchups were announced.

• Jalil Bethea, a 2024 guard, is down to five schools.

• Expect to hear details on the Pac-12’s new media deal today.

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