JaKarr Sampson shares a city (Akron) and high school (St. Vincent-St. Mary) with LeBron James.
He grew up idolizing the Heat superstar and forged a friendship with James once the newly crowned champion took an interest in him. Sampson differs from James in one stark way — his affinity for New York City.
Unlike James, who shunned the Knicks, Sampson chose St. John’s twice, first two years ago before he was ruled ineligible and again this past spring.
“The first time I came to the city, I was like, ‘This is where I want to be,’” the versatile and gifted 6-foot-8 Sampson said recently. “I fell in love with the city.”
The relationship between Sampson and James blossomed after the two met early in Sampson’s high school career. James would come by his alma mater to work out, and took a liking to Sampson as the talented forward slowly evolved as a national prospect.
James would invite Sampson to workouts, offer him advice and bring him along to full-court, star-studded scrimmages at his luxurious Akron home. It made a huge impact on Sampson.
“LeBron doesn’t just ask anyone to come work out with him,” St. Vincent-St. Mary coach Dru Joyce said. “It gave JaKarr something to aspire to.”
James became like a big brother to Sampson, instilling his noted work ethic into the wide-eyed youngster.
“He’s been through everything I’ve been through and I’m going to go through,” said the seemingly always-smiling Sampson, a converted Heat fan. “It’s big to have someone in your corner that’s big time.”
St. John’s and head coach Steve Lavin have been in his corner for a while. Sampson’s ebullience and game-changing talent made him a must for Lavin. After he was ruled ineligible last September and Sampson de-committed soon after, Lavin didn’t stop recruiting him, making him a priority even as the coach was recovering from prostate cancer surgery. Joyce lauded St. John’s for making it clear to Sampson it didn’t only want him, but needed him.
Lavin said he spent more “psychic energy” recruiting Sampson than any player at St. John’s or even in his days at UCLA.
“He’s a perfect fit for our particular brand of basketball,” Lavin said of Sampson, who picked St. John’s over Baylor, Kansas and Florida. “JaKarr is tailor-made to excel in our system.”
Sampson hasn’t stop smiling since arriving in the summer, letting everyone see the Michael Strahan-like gap in his pearly-white teeth.
At the Red Storm Tip-Off, the celebratory start to the season three weeks ago, he took center stage with a series of impressive dunks only overshadowed by how happy he was to be a part of the event after missing it last November. The cheers for him were the loudest, aside from Lavin.
“It’s about time,” he thought to himself as the on-campus crowd serenaded him.
Those close to him insist that’s part of his bubbly personality. Joyce never could stay mad at Sampson when the two clashed early in his career, because of his pupil’s joyful persona and want to please.
“The only time he’s not smiling is on the basketball court,” said St. John’s teammate Max Hooper, who was Sampson’s roommate at Brewster Academy, where he finished his high school career.
Many have compared Sampson to Moe Harkless, the Queens product and former St. John’s star who went 15th overall in this June’s NBA Draft, because the two are both 6-foot-8 forwards with versatile skill sets.
Before Sampson was ruled ineligible last year, the two were viewed as equals. Sampson lacks the shooting touch of Harkless, but is the better athlete, a dunking machine bounce equal to that of a trampoline.
“I feel like I’m a mismatch nightmare,” he said. “I can play multiple positions, I can play both ends of the floor. If I have a big man on me, I can go past him. If I have a smaller player on me, I can post him up.”
Lavin has tried to downplay his role thus far, pointing to the depth of the entire team. Sampson doesn’t need to produce like Harkless did a year ago for the Red Storm to have success. Yet, he welcomes the expectations.
“I like the pressure,” he said. “It sets a high bar for me.”
Lavin said he does see one-and-done talent in Sampson, as was the case at this time last year with Harkless. It’s about how he develops.
One day, whether it’s next year or the year after, Sampson likely will get to face his mentor on the court, and not in a pickup game.
“It would be surreal,” Sampson said, flashing the megawatt smile, that can light up a room, “but it’s possible.”