Rick Pitino wasn’t going down like he did last season.
After the chatter and struggles about the lack of a true point guard on the St. John’s roster, he was certain to add a difference maker at the position this offseason and it just so happened to be the Red Storm’s first addition of the spring.
International prospect Quinn Ellis committed to the Johnnies on Tuesday after a recruitment that involved other programs like Duke, Louisville, BYU, Kentucky, and others. It was thought of around late March that he would make the switch from professional basketball in Europe to college basketball.
Ellis, listed at 6-foot-5, has played this season for Olimpia Milano in the Lega Basket Serie A (LBA) and EuroLeague. He averaged 8.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 4.4 assists in 35 games in the EuroLeague while shooting 49.3-percent from the floor and 37.7-percent from 3-point range.
In the LBA, he played 24 games this year and posted 7.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.1 steals per contest.
Ellis, who turned 21 on April, is a native of Sheffield, England.
He’s helped his team win two Italian Cups, first with Aquila Trento and then with Olimpia Milano. Two years ago, he won the Most Valuable Player of the Italian Cup as well as the Best Young Player in the LBA with Aquila Trento.
Previously, he played internationally with Great Britan’s U16 team in 2019 and had declared for the 2023 NBA Draft as an early entry but withdrew his name from the process.
Ellis also entered the 2024 NBA Draft but never withdrew his name from consideration. After not being selected, he played for the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2024 NBA Summer League but never was on an NBA or G-League training camp or regular season roster.
Quinn Ellis’ commitment to St. John’s was first reported by the New York Post.
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