St. John’s basketball targeting local transfer target, defensive star

St. John's basketball transfer target Tyson Walker (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
St. John's basketball transfer target Tyson Walker (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

St. John’s basketball continues to scower the transfer market with a defensive star. 

Head coach Mike Anderson clearly knows what he wants in a guard and the St. John’s basketball team has its eyes on a local product that is one of the best defenders in the country.

Tyson Walker, a transfer from Northeastern, has heard from the Johnnies since entering the transfer portal.

Walker, a Westbury, New York native, was named to the CAA All-Rookie Team in his freshman season with the Huskies and was named as the CAA Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore.

A four year player at Christ the King (N.Y.), became the sixth freshman in program history to surpass 100 assists last season and was second in the conference in steals with 1.8 per game.

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As a sophomore, the 6-foot guard averaged 18.8 points, 2.9 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 2.4 steals per game while shooting 44.4-percent from the field and 35.4-percent from three-point range.

Tyson Walker is one of the hottest commodities in the transfer portal as he has been contacted by Miami, Michigan State, Kansas, Nebraska, Seton Hall, Missouri, Arkansas, Georgia, Pittsburgh, Indiana, Florida, Providence, USC, DePaul, Kansas State, TCU, Vanderbilt, Stanford, Eastern Carolina, Northwestern, California, and St. Mary’s, according to multiple reports.

Following his career at Christ the King, Walker played a post-graduate season at the New Hampton School (N.H.).

St. John’s basketball looking for guard depth

Tyson Walker is the third known player that the Red Storm have contacted in the transfer portal, joining Vermont’s Stef Smith and Florida International’s Antonio Daye Jr.

ALSO READ: St. John’s forward Isaih Moore enters transfer portal

St. John’s is losing redshirt senior guard Rasheem Dunn due to graduation and Mike Anderson will be looking to see a jump from Big East Freshman and Defensive Player of the Year Posh Alexander as well as other guard such as Dylan Addae-Wusu and Greg Williams Jr.

Walker’s set a career-high in points with 36 against Towson and in Northeastern’s regular season finale, the guard dropped 27 points on the road against the North Carolina Tar Heels.