Top recruit JaKarr Sampson recommits to St. John's
Dayton Thurgood Marshall's Juwan Staten, right, goes up for a shot against Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary's Jakarr Sampson during the third quarter of the Division II boys Ohio state basketball championship game. (March 28, 2009) Credit: AP
St. John's landed the big recruit it absolutely had to have when 6-8 forward JaKarr Sampson verbally committed to the Red Storm late Wednesday night heading into the April signing period.
Sampson led Brewster Academy, a New Hampshire prep school, to the national prep championship and was named the MVP of the tournament.
Sampson previously committed to St. John's before last season but did not qualify academically. The Red Storm succeeded in retaining him, but only after a recruiting battle with Kansas and Providence. His adviser, Don Anderson, who served as his AAU coach, said Sampson was impressed with how well the Storm's five freshmen developed under adverse circumstances this season when coach Steve Lavin coached only four games while recovering from prostate cancer surgery.
"He decided he wants to return to St. John's," Anderson said. "JaKarr was open to being recruited by the best programs in the country, but he has a great relationship with coach Lavin. Kansas and Providence only recruited him one year, but St. John's has been recruiting him two years. He saw how Maurice Harkless and D'Angelo Harrison got better."
Harrison led St. John's (13-19) with a 16.8 scoring average. Harkless averaged 15.3 points and 8.6 rebounds while winning Big East rookie of the year honors. All indications are that Harkless plans to enter the NBA draft.
"JaKarr wouldn't mind doing the same things Moe did with what that staff can do to develop him," Anderson said. "He can be just as good as Moe."
