St. John’s basketball included in Top-5 finalists for Brady Dunlap

St. John’s basketball remains a finalist for 2023 recruit Brady Dunlap. 

Rick Pitino still has the St. John’s basketball program in the mix for Class of 2023 three-star wing Brady Dunlap.

Dunlap, the No. 149 player in the high school class according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, was a Notre Dame signee but reopened his recruiting process following the dismissal of head coach Mike Brey.

The 6-foot-7 forward announced his Top-5 finalists; St. John’s, Nebraska, North Carolina, Penn State, and Villanova on Thursday afternoon.

“[Associate head] Coach [Steve] Massiello and I have bonded over the phone after they came to see me workout a couple weeks ago,” Dunlap told On3.

“I got on the phone with Coach Pitino and he offered me a scholarship.”

The Red Storm have lost all three of its commitments, four-star forward Brandon Gardner, JUCO All-American Yaxel Lendeborg, and unranked guard Harrison Reede, since Pitino took over for Mike Anderson.

ALSO READ: Brandon Gardner requests release from NLI

St. John’s also saw Rafael Pinzon, O’Mar Stanley, Kolby King, AJ Storr, Posh Alexander, Dylan Addae-Wusu, Andre Curbelo, and David Jones enter the transfer portal.

“St. John’s has a rich basketball history as well as Coach Pitino,” Dunlap continued.

“He is a winner and that’s what I want to do.”

St. John’s basketball recruiting news starting to heat up

The Johnnies were in the mix for four-star guard Garwey Dual, and scheduled to host him on a visit this weekend, but he recommitted to Providence on Thursday after reopening his recruitment following head coach Ed Cooley’s departure for Georgetown.

Thursday was a busy day around the St. John’s program after it landed the first commitment of the Rick Pitino era in Iona transfer guard Daniss Jenkins.

ALSO READ: St. John’s recruiting target Garwey Dual commits to Providence

Jenkins visited Queens alongside teammate Walter Clayton Jr., although Clayton Jr. opted to return close to home and committed to Florida.

Brady Dunlap will visit St. John’s beginning on April 22.