Moe Harkless walked off the Garden court slowly, and eventually into the arms of his mother Rosa, who was waiting for him outside the St. John’s locker room following the Red Storm’s 73-59 first-round ouster at the hands of Pitt.
Harkless may or may not have just played his final college game. If you are a St. John’s fan, you desperately want him back, because homegrown talents like this — from Jamaica, Queens — do not come along every day.
If you are a St. John’s fan, and you dream of the possibilities for next season — a season when Steve Lavin would be back on the bench with Harkless and D’Angelo Harrison and the rest of the fabulous freshman class — then you will be heartened to know that Rosa Harkless is with you, and is your best chance to celebrate Harkless’ genius again.
“I want him to stay,” Rosa said.
Mother knows best.
Moe Harkless should resist the siren call of the NBA and make himself a surefire first-round draft choice, if not lottery pick, next year, after what could be a special 2012 sophomore season at St. John’s.
Because now, at best, he figures to go late in the first round in a draft where just about the entire Kentucky team will be coveted.
“[I want him to stay] because I think that it’ll help him grow more, grow him stronger, mature, and he can further his education a little bit more also,” Rosa said. “But the ultimate decision is his. He’s 18. … I can’t really tell him the choices to make.”
Moe Harkless (25 points on 10-16 shooting) goes 6-foot-8, 210 pounds. Another year in the weight room will be magical for him.
“And I think this team is gonna be amazing next year,” Rosa said.
Mother and son were planning a pow-wow last night.
“After this game today, we’re supposed to really go out and sit down and discuss the whole thing,” she said.
Moe was noncommittal.
“I’m gonna talk to all my teammates and all my coaches and we’re gonna make a decision,” he said. “We’ll definitely have a conclusion soon.”
Lavin has yet to sit down with Harkless.
“When we have our individual meetings, naturally, we’re gonna talk about his future, whether that’s at St. John’s, or the next level,” Lavin said.
Everyone can see the comparisons with former UConn stringbean star Rudy Gay.
“[Harkless is] very long-armed, and he’s got a good touch around the basket, and he’s gonna develop into a very good shooter when it’s all said and done,” Pitt coach Jamie Dixon said.
And you could see the love his teammates have for him when they mobbed him during interviews after he received his Big East Rookie of the Year award. Dixon is certain another year of seasoning would help.
“Every player, I think, can get better in college and develop, and he’s got good coaches and good guys to learn from, so I think he’s in a very good situation to learn and get better,” Dixon said.
He should stay and help bring his hometown team back.
“I think we’ll be great next year,” Harkless said. “We definitely have a bright future.”
Of course, he stopped short of saying whether he would be part of that bright future.
Say it. Don’t go pro, Moe.
steve.serby@nypost.com