There are vacancies to fill, but next year’s St. John’s roster has potential
By Noah Zimmerman
noah@queensledger.com
It’s always a wild adventure in the portal. Another hectic season of transfers means players across the nation are on the hunt for new and improved roles. Nearly 5,000 players are on the move in men’s college basketball with 2,600 of them representing Division 1 programs. In women’s basketball, roughly 1,500 of over 2,500 transfers are D1.
Like many other squads across college hoops, St. John’s will have a vastly different look in the upcoming campaign. Rick Pitino and Co. have already begun to replace graduating stars and a few surprising transfers.
Eurostars take Queens
There is much debate surrounding European professionals and even some NBA G League players taking their talent to the NCAA. One of the newest names to watch on the collegiate circuit is Quinn Ellis, a five year pro from England.
Recently with Olimpia Milano, the crafty point guard was named Lega Basket Serie A (LBA) Best Young Player and claimed MVP awards in both the Italian Cup and Italian Supercup in 2025. He’s expected to hop straight into the St. John’s starting five.
Not long after, St. John’s picked up dynamic wing Djordije Jovanovic
The Johnnies were big last year and they’re going to want to stay that way in 2026-27. To help, St. John’s have added all seven feet of center Lazar Stojkovic. The sizable Serbian drew significant college interest this year but chose to help bolster the Red Storm frontcourt now that their three-headed monster of Ejiofor, Hopkins, and Darling have finished their eligibility.
Jonnie Freeman
‘Cuse forward Donnie Freeman is leaving the Orange after his first two seasons. He scored 13.4 points in 14 games as a freshman and pushed his production up to 16.5 in 21 games last season.
Freeman is expected to play a major role in filling the hole left by Ejiofor in scoring and on the boards. He’s not only in search of a significant role, but to push himself harder under the wing of a hall of fame coach.
“Pitino isn’t going to cut me any slack. It’s going to be tough. It’s going to be hard physically and mentally,” said Freeman about his transfer decision. “Knowing how much better I’ll get and what this can do for my future, how much better of a player this can make me, I’m willing to make that sacrifice and be all in and buy into everything.”
Another transfer to finalize a deal is Ivy League guard Avery Brown, who starred for Columbia last season. He led the Lions in assists for the second straight year and could be a great playmaker off the bench in Queens.
Darling Departed
With a big name PG coming to Queens, NCAA Tournament hero Dylan Darling decided to cement a top role elsewhere. Darling was the Big Sky player of the year in 2024-25. This past season in the BIG EAST it took the transfer guard some time to get his feet settled. He definitely found them in the back end of the year, helping the Red Storm win back-to-back regular season and conference tournament titles before their Sweet 16 run.
It’s a major blow to the Johnnies but an expected one as the rising senior deserves a spotlight for his final year of college ball. He will likely find it at Grand Canyon University, where he joins the Lopes in their quest to return to the NCAAT for the fourth time in five seasons.
Of course, Darling isn’t the only Red Storm transfer this season. Also leaving is Joson Sanon, who played significant minutes as a sharpshooting wing, senior Sadiku Ibine-Ayo, and a pair of freshmen in Imran Sulvanovic and Kelvin Odih.
Red Storm Returning
Of course, many of next season’s heroes may already be on the roster. A number of key players have stated they will return for 2026-27, including former 5-star recruit Ian Jackson and the versatile Ruben Prey. Both juniors will be in prime position to build off of last season, where they largely contributed off the bench.
Another Johnnie coming back for their junior year is sharpshooter Lefteris Liotopoulos, who hit the portal a couple of weeks ago. After a few signings and a more clear picture of next year’s Red Storm roster, the Greek guard has made the decision to return to Queens.
“In the summer of 2024, I made a huge decision to leave my home and my family to become a Johnnie and grow as a player, a student, and a person,” said Liotopoulos in his statement. These past two seasons, with the constant support of my coaches, the everyday competition with my teammates, and the love of the St. John’s fans, made SJU feel like my second home.”
