Another day, another departure.
The day after JaKarr Sampson announced he was leaving St. John’s to enter his name into the NBA Draft, good friend Max Hooper has asked for and received his release to transfer, St. John’s announced Wednesday.
A sharpshooter from California, Hooper came to St. John’s after one season at Harvard. He sat out last year because of NCAA transfer rules and was expected to have a major role as a zone-busting 3-point shooter.
However, his playing time was inconsistent and his production meager as the Johnnies reached the NIT for the second straight season, falling short of the NCAA Tournament. Hooper averaged just nine minutes a game and 3.2 points, shooting 41 percent, and did not play in eight games. He followed Sampson, his prep school teammate at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, to St. John’s.
St. John’s now has five open scholarships for next year. Forwards God’sgift Achiuwa and Orlando Sanchez and guard Marco Bourgault are out of eligibility, in addition to Sampson and Hooper leaving, and no incoming prospects are signed.
The Johnnies are involved with Christ the King center Adonis Delarosa, a 6-foot-11 big man set to pick a school in April. Currently, there are eight scholarship players in the program. St. John’s coach Steve Lavin said Tuesday his focus was on recruiting classes for 2015 and 2016, but that could change now.