Our next profile features a school with a rich basketball tradition. Currently ranking 9th all-time in NCAA Division I wins, this school has captured six NIT championships, and has four coaches enshrined in the Hall of Fame. They have never won an NCAA championship, however, and have only made the NCAA tournament five times since 2000. The NBA St. John’s Red Storm team is full of players from the team’s rich past, with a mix of modern-day competitors who will try to help them advance in our tournament.
The guards on this team are throwbacks from previous generations. Although he played through the 2004 season, Mark Jackson’s game had an old-school feel. He did not have the athleticism, quickness, or shooting ability of many modern-day guards. He also wasn’t known for his work on the defensive end of the court. He could, however, run an offense effectively, currently ranking fourth in total assists in NBA history. While he’s not an ideal fit for the modern NBA rules, he was a smart player who will find a way to compete. He’ll split his time with Dick McGuire, a seven-time all-star who led the league in total assists in his rookie season, and led the league in playoff assists per game in each of his first four years in the league. Max Zaslofsky, the starting two guard, was a star of the Basketball Association of America (BAA), leading the league in points and made field goals in the 1947-48 season. He was selected to four all-BAA/NBA first-teams, and despite his unsightly looking field goal percentage, he was top five in that category in the league back-to-back years (1947-48). He’s backed up by Kevin Loughery, a high-volume scorer who crossed the 20 points per game mark twice in his career. It’s reasonable to question how well this backcourt would hold up when playing against the athletes in the modern-day game, but they were all well-respected, effective players during their time in the league.
The starting forwards are two of the most memorable NBA players on the team. Chris Mullin was one of the great shooters of his era, with career .509/.384/.865 splits. He ranked in the top-10 in scoring average four years in row, and was so revered that he made the original Dream Team. He’ll serve as the fulcrum of this team’s offensive attack. Metta World Peace will start alongside Mullin, and will serve as a secondary option on offense (over his prime seven-year stretch, he averaged 18 points per game). Metta was one of the league’s top two-way players in his prime, and his dominant defense will be desperately needed for this starting unit. He had enough bulk (listed at 260 pounds on basketball reference) to play as a modern-day four, but can switch to his natural small forward position to play alongside two big men when needed. Malik Sealy was a lengthy wing (6’8”) who showed potential on the defensive end of the court before his tragic passing in 2000. He had the best year of his career before he passed, and his terrific free-throw shooting (84.7% his last four years in the league) indicates that he may have been able to turn into a 3-and-D wing in the modern game. Maurice Harkless is another lengthy wing who credibly defends his position. He is very limited offensively, however, but can shoot from downtown at a reasonable rate (34.7% over the last four seasons).
Billy Paultz, the starting center, was an ABA legend, who also had a solid NBA career after the merger. In his first eight years in the pros (ABA and NBA), he averaged 15.7 PPG, 10.4 RPG, and 2.3 BPG on 50.1% shooting from the field. He was a key member of the ABA champion New York Nets team in 1974, and led the ABA in blocked shots per game the following year. Paultz had a solid jump shot for a big man, and was an intimidating presence in the paint. Jayson Williams was one of the best rebounders of his era, and can play as either a power forward or center depending on matchups. Leroy Ellis was another solid big who could play at the four or five. He was quicker and thinner than his frontcourt teammates (210 pounds despite standing 6’10”), and may be better suited than most old-school players to play the switching defense that is often featured in the modern game. Bill Wennington, best known for his role play on the ’96-’98 Chicago Bulls championship teams, will provide depth at the center position.
The NBA St. John’s Red Storm team has an older, smaller backcourt, who will be helped by their depth at the wing and center positions. They should have a lot of flexibility in their lineups, and can feature World Peace, Sealy, and Harkless in their best defensive configurations. They will face the NBA Villanova Wildcats in the first round of the NBA March Madness Tournament.
