AJ Storr had the option to return to the St. John’s basketball program after Mike Anderson was fired. Rick Pitino extended an invitation for the former 4-star recruit to stay but didn’t promise him anything beyond that.
Storr decided to bolt from Queens and land at Wisconsin where he had a strong sophomore year before a rough NCAA Tournament debut but still parlayed that into becoming one of highest paid players in the transfer portal this offseason by Kansas.
Despite the Red Storm revival under Pitino, there is still no regrets in his mind.
“Obviously Pitino is a good coach,” Storr said on Wednesday in Providence before the Jayhawks battle Arkansas in the Round of 64 on Thursday.
“One of the best ever. The program is obviously going to turn around in a positive way, but I didn’t know they were going to be this good.”
Things have not transpired the way Storr would have hoped since landing in Lawerence. He’s only averaging 15.3 minutes per game while posting 5.8 points, a career worst.
After having the best game of his season in the Big 12 Tournament second round against UCF with 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting, he played just nine minutes against Arizona in the quarterfinals and did not score.
“For my situation, I think Wisconsin fitted me the best,” Storr explained of his decision to leave New York, although he still has fond memories of the city.
“I loved living in New York,” he said. “I miss New York. A great city, Times Square was a fun place to go, many more places. I love New York.”
When the NCAA Tournament bracket was released and the potential arose that there could be a meeting between the Red Storm and Jayhawks, Storr was surprised.
“I was just thinking ‘that’s crazy’. To play against my old school, obviously it’s not the same coach but it’s still the school I went to my freshman year, which is like a crazy feeling.”
Should Kansas and St. John’s both advance beyond the Round of 64 it would set up one of the most compelling Round of 32 matchups on Saturday.