Kennedy's season finished, not his dream

When St. John's players were introduced Monday afternoon at a cozy little pep rally at Carnesecca Arena, reserve Jamal White added some levity with a funny walk, crowd favorite Kevin Clark did a clownish cartwheel and Sean Evans showed off some dance moves.

Finally, it was D.J. Kennedy's turn. His was the most poignant walk of all. Tugging with his hands on the right leg of his sweatpants as if to lift his injured knee with each step, Kennedy dragged his stiff leg across the floor as the fans applauded his effort the way they have the past four seasons.

This time, maybe there was a little more feeling, and some chants of "Do it for D.J." rang out. They know the longtime leader of their senior-laden team will be on the sideline watching when his teammates finally take the floor in an NCAA Tournament game against Gonzaga on Thursday night in Denver.

Ever since he went down in pain five minutes into the Red Storm's loss to Syracuse on Thursday in the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament, Kennedy said, the outpouring of fan support has lifted him.

"The fans have been great all along during this whole process with the injury," Kennedy said after Monday's rally. "They're keeping me positive, keeping me in good spirits."

There was very little contact when Kennedy went down with his injury, and Madison Square Garden grew as quiet as it had been all week. "I knew right away," Kennedy said. "I felt a pop. In my whole life, I never have been hurt. It's a freak situation. I just happened to tear my ACL."

Kennedy was taken that evening to the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan, where the injury was diagnosed and doctors told him his season and college career were over. But it wasn't until the next morning in his apartment that it all sank in.

"When I woke up, I thought it was a dream," Kennedy said. "I thought I could get up and get out of bed and go to the gym. Once I tried to stand up, reality set in. I was hurting, and there wasn't too much I could do about it. I actually buckled. Then I realized it's a serious injury, not a sprained ankle."

There's pain when Kennedy walks, but it's manageable.

"I've got about 100 tattoos, so this is light," he said with a smile. "I'll get through this. I've been icing it. I've got movement in my leg. I can bend it, straighten it, and I'm able to walk on it right now. That's all good signs. It's just knowing that it's torn."

Kennedy hasn't watched any replays of his injury. In fact, he said he hasn't watched any basketball on TV and has avoided reading the newspapers, trying to stay positive.

Coach Steve Lavin asked him to contribute from a coaching perspective when he accompanies the team west. Kennedy can do that, but he knows the hard part will be watching his teammates take the court without him in the school's first NCAA Tournament game in nine years, a game that wouldn't have been possible without all he's done for St. John's basketball.

"I've had a great four years here," Kennedy said. "It's a wonderful feeling to know I was part of the team that brought St. John's back in New York. Before I committed here, my dream was to be part of the team that turned the program around. So I'm going out on a positive note. I feel like I did everything I can and made the NCAA Tournament my senior year. I can't play in it, but I captured my dream."