Underwhelming is an understatement.
Highly-ranked recruit Rysheed Jordan’s college career has started slower than anyone would have anticipated, with the St. John’s freshman guard averaging three points, including a zero-point, 0-for-7 shooting performance in Friday night’s win over Wagner.
But coach Steve Lavin knows it could be worse. Though Jordan is encountering struggles he hasn’t experienced before, Lavin is glad there are teammates who can empathize, having gone 13-19 as the youngest team in the nation two seasons ago.
“If it was a couple years ago and he was just one of these freshmen, that would have been a nightmare scenario for him where he would have had to go through what [Maurice] Harkless and those guys went through,” Lavin said on Monday. “The difference is, he has the veteran players [and] it’s less likely we’re going to be 13-19.
“I do sense there’s 15 older brothers that look after their younger brother, Ryhseed. I think our older players realize they didn’t have anyone like that when they came in here. They didn’t have any older players to take them under their wing and mentor them and bring them along in understanding the rigors of college basketball at the highest level.
“I think those players really look after Rysheed and have been helpful in giving context and keeping things in perspective, that, ‘You’ve only played two college games, you’re going to be OK, your future’s bright.’ ”
Lavin said he has seen continued progress from Jordan — who will not be made available to the media until late December — with each practice and game, and thinks the team’s depth is an “ideal situation” for the freshman. Jordan may have the hype, but he doesn’t yet need to be a star for the team to succeed.
Still, heading into Tuesday night’s game against Bucknell (2-1) at Carnesecca Arena, D’Angelo Harrison said he wouldn’t be surprised if Jordan followed up his 0-fer with a triple-double, because as the team’s leading-scorer said, “He’s that good.”
And the rest of the team is making sure he doesn’t forget it.
“We keep him [level]-headed. We encourage him,” junior guard Jamal Branch said. “It’s a thing that freshmen go through. You see JaKarr [Sampson] went through it last year with his first game, but he got through it pretty quickly. Rysheed is just going to take time. Once he feels comfortable and confident, he’s going to be dangerous.”
Sampson’s struggles have been reiterated by several members of the Red Storm (1-1). Last season, the sophomore scored two points in his debut and shot 3-of-14 from the field in his first two games. He went on to be named Big East Rookie of the Year.
So, Lavin doesn’t worry if Jordan will break out. But he does wonder when.
“He’ll be a really strong contributor for us this year and central to everything we’re doing, but when does that happen?” Lavin said. “Is that January, February, March? Each freshman is different.
“The most important thing is how he finishes. If it’s a slow start and a strong finish, that’s better for us because we have enough veterans in this early part of the season to stay competitive as he develops.”