Potential bad recruiting omen casted on St. John’s basketball program

A bad recruiting omen had been casted upon St. John’s basketball.

It is now less than a week away until major St. John’s basketball recruiting target Kyle Cuffe Jr. announces his college decision and a bad omen is now surrounding the Red Storm.

Cuffe Jr., a Class of 2022 prospect, originally was planning to make his decision on December 26 but pushed that timeline up to December 19 as his Top-6 schools include St. John’s, Kansas, Kansas State, Pittsburgh, Georgia, and Texas A&M.

However, it appears the four-star target has dwindled his list to four schools; St. John’s, Kansas, Kansas State, and Georgia.

Prior to his announcement, Rivals national recruiting expert Rob Cassidy talked with Kyle Cuffe Jr. about his pending decision and broke down the four schools still in the running for his services.

Cuffe Jr. said about the Johnnies, “I like the coach. Coach Mike Anderson really showed me how well I fit that system and how much I can bring to the team. Then, my dad [Kyle Cuffe Sr.] also went there. So that’s part of it. I mean, it doesn’t matter to me in the way that I’m going to base my choice on it. It’s just one of the many things St. John’s has to offer.”

ALSO READ: St. John’s must respond on road following Big East defeat

But now the bad part.

Only one day after Cassidy published his article about the Blair Academy (N.J.) and PSA Cardinals standout, the recruiting expert logged a FutureCast prediction, pinning Kyle Cuffe Jr. to land in Lawrence, Kansas with Bill Self and the Jayhawks.

Only minutes later, Shay Wildeboor, a senior writer at JayhawkSlant.com, the Kansas page on Rivals, also penned a FutureCast prediction for the 6-foot-2 shooting guard to commit to the Jayhawks.

Cassidy is hitting at a 78.6-percent clip on his predictions (136-of-178) while Wildeboor is an incredible 88.9-percent (24-of-27).

All hope is not lost for the St. John’s basketball program.

Following the commitments of Class of 2021 recruits Drissa Traore, Rafael Pinzon, and O’mar Stanley, the idea of Jordan Riley has left the minds of Red Storm fans.

Days before his announcement, Riley, another major recruiting prospect for the Johnnies and New York native, was projected to commit to Mike Anderson and St. John’s, only for all recruiting experts to change their picks hours before the anticipated announcement.

ALSO READ: Top St. John’s recruiting target pushes up announcement date

Jordan Riley committed to Georgetown, leaving the Red Storm faithful heartbroken at another local prospect spurning the hometown program.

No other recruiting analysts have logged a prediction yet for Cuffe Jr., so perhaps all hope is not lost for those wishing to see him in Queens.

Kyle Cuffe Jr. will make his college decision on Saturday, December 19 at 6:30pm EST at Gauchos Gym in the Bronx.