From his quiet demeanor to his humble personality and lack of hangers-on, Isaiah Whitehead doesn’t fit the stereotype of a New York City high school basketball star.
The Lincoln High School standout from Coney Island can really break the mold with his college decision Thursday afternoon by staying home at St. John’s.
The 6-foot-4 shooting guard, a consensus five-star recruit ranked 12th overall in the country by Scout.com — the highest ranking for a New York City player since Lance Stephenson was a senior six years ago — is scheduled to pick a college Thursday afternoon at a press conference at the Coney Island school. Pittsburgh, Minnesota, St. John’s, Seton Hall and Indiana are his five finalists.
If he goes with the Johnnies, Whitehead would be the biggest city product to do so since Omar Cook in 2000, the last local McDonald’s All-American to stay put. Scout.com recruiting analyst Evan Daniels said “in my mind, there’s no doubt” Whitehead will receive that honor.
“It appeals to me, but I still want the best situation for Isaiah,” said his mother, Ericka Rambert.
The plan, she said, was to tour the Queens campus Wednesday night, speak to head coach Steve Lavin and his staff and watch the team work out. Afterward, Rambert, Whitehead, Lincoln coach Dwayne “Tiny” Morton and Juice All-Stars AAU coach James Barrett will meet and make a decision by the end of Wednesday night or Thursday morning.
New York City and Long Island have produced 11 McDonald’s All-Americans since Cook, and none have wound up at St. John’s, more of a knock on Mike Jarvis’ recruiting acumen and Norm Roberts’ six-year tenure than Lavin’s successful efforts luring players, most of them hailing from outside the area.
“A lot of children just leave and forget about St. John’s. St. John’s is usually the last school on the list as far as going to a big school,” Rambert said. “I don’t think New York City kids realize it’s a big time-program and a great school. I look at it as a big-time school. It’s a privilege to play at St. Johns.”
St. John’s has swung and missed on a handful of local stars, including Stephenson (now with the Indiana Pacers), Holy Cross alum Sylven Landesberg, San Antonio Spurs guard Danny Green of St. Mary’s of Manhasset and Charlotte Bobcats point guard Kemba Walker, who attended Rice, which has since closed down. The players would feign interest, but by the time the decision came around, St. John’s was a non-factor.
The Whitehead sweepstakes feels different. The Red Storm have been around from the start, one of the first programs to offer Whitehead a scholarship, back in the spring of his freshman year. Sources said Lavin encouraged Whitehead to go through the process, and told him they would monitor the situation before seeing if there was a fit later on.
“This is a game-changer for St. John’s,” said Daniels, the recruiting analyst. “Not only is it big because you [would] be keeping the best player in New York home, but he also happens to be the best shooting guard in the country and an elite-level prospect.”
The city hasn’t produced nearly as many stars — the last player to be selected to the McDonald’s game was Villanova senior and former Bishop Loughlin star Jayvaughn Pinkston in 2010 — and Lavin has compiled impressive recruiting classes each of the past two years. His first recruit, in fact, was a local star, Orlando Magic forward Maurice Harkless of Queens. Harkless, however, was ranked in the 40s at the time and wasn’t an All-American.
He broke out in his one year at St. John’s, going 15th overall in the draft to the Philadelphia 76ers after a series of big performances.
“I grew up watching St. John’s, I got to stay home and be a part of that tradition,” Harkless said. “I was the first guy to commit there. That kind of playing a big role [in the recruiting turnaround] and he can keep it going.
“It would take it back to how it used to be, when all the young guys used to stay home. I did it. No reason he can’t.”
Like Whitehead, Harkless was somewhat of a homebody, which factored into his decision to stay home.
“I loved being around family. Me going to St. John’s, that was big,” he said. “My mom got to come to my games. If he goes there, he can have the same experience.”
Harkless did not reach the NCAA Tournament in his one season. This season, St. John’s is expected to be reach the tournament. The Johnnies return their entire team from last season’s NIT group and add touted Philadelphia freshman point guard Rysheed Jordan, sharpshooter Max Hooper (a Harvard transfer now eligible) and versatile big man Orlando Sanchez to a core that includes NBA prospects D’Angelo Harrison, Chris Obekpa and JaKarr Sampson.
“Next year, they’ll be even better,” Harkless predicted. “Adding him, another player who can score, you never know how far they can go.”