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Omari Lawrence, the 6-4 swingman hailing from South Kent Connecticut, has been an absolute media monster of late. Featured in the Daily News, Rivals.com, and College Hoops.Net, the touted prospect recently lent some of his time to JohnnyJungle.com, discussing a variety of topics, ranging from basketball to music. Without further adieu…

His Health?

Lawrence recently underwent shoulder surgery, a procedure that will curtail serious athletic activities for the duration of 2-4 months. He has however, been granted clearance to continue shooting, so long he avoids physical contact. Omari is also running daily, keeping his legs in peak condition so when he returns he can quickly get back to form.

Past playing Experience?

Omari has long been playing AAU basketball since he was 15 years old. He started off with the Long Island Lightning because he was allowed to play two years up at an advance level, Lawrence mentioned he was teammates with Justin Burrell and Villanova’s Corey Fisher. This past year was his first year with the NY Panthers AAU program where he and the team both had very successful seasons.

His message?

When it comes to player analysis, college coaches tend to favor differing attributes, some preferring fundamentals, others craving raw skill. John Calipari, just for instance, could give a damn about free throw shooting. Just ask the guy, though he might have changed his mind.

But what should coaches look for first when scouting Omari Lawrence? The man speaks for himself:

“I would want coaches to first notice my leadership and intensity.”

The fact he addresses intangibles before his actual skill is an excellent sign make-up wise, or so says the official coaching handbook within the chapter discussing “character guys”.

Scoop on Pursuit?

Omari is a prized commodity, and has no shortage of serious suitors. Louisville has already offered him a scholarship since recently jumping on the bandwagon. Jim Calhoun has suddenly pounced, displaying a risen level of interest, as Red Storm fans everywhere fear a Doug Wiggins flashback. Florida is interested in playing telephone tag with Omari but have had schedule conflicts preventing them from seeing him play in person(thats weak Billy should have went to the Magic when you had a chance).

How was the visit?

Upon visiting the campus, Omari was treated to a guided tour.

“First they gave me a campus tour, and there was a lot of things I didn’t know about St. John’s.”

He mentioned he was surprised at the “big facilities” St. John’s had to offer and he really enjoyed himself. He echoed earlier thoughts about his family feeling very comfortable at St. John’s. They really liked what St. John’s had to offer academically, the campus facilities, and with Coach Roberts. Omari said its very important to him what his family thinks.

How seriously is he considering coming to St. John’s?

“I’m trying to be a trend setter other guys(mentioned Durand Scott and Dan Jennings) have other mind sets, but I’m trying to convince them otherwise……..I have a lot of time.”

Omari Lawrence: Trailblazer. How bout that on a billboard?

New York?

When asked what does basketball mean to NYC Omari exclaimed, “Basketball is BIG”

Omari is keyed into the importance of basketball in New York City. He highlighted the Knicks as an example of the city’s passion, their record woeful but attendance figures high. Omari would enjoy bringing back the “spirit”, to justify the passion.

“New York is just waiting for another star to be born”

Music?

If Omari was stuck on an island and could only listen to just one song, for the rest of his life, it’d be “Never Change” by Jay-Z.

He also said most people wouldn’t know that he enjoys the listening to Cold Play, Blink 182, and Nickleback.

Dinner?

When faced with the difficult task of picking five people, dead or alive, to have dinner with, Omari went with Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, his dad, Kim Kardashian , and Alicia Keys in that order.

Man, one of those just doesn’t fit in with the rest.

Jennifer Lopez?

Favorite eatery?

Omari enjoys dining down at the Cheesesteak Factory, his dish of choice chicken teriyaki.

Favorite movie?

Overlooked Spike Lee Joint “He Got Game”. A solid pick, misunderstood by most critics.

Favorite interviewer?

Omari paused for a minute until I said, “besides me” and then he quickly tabbed Stacey Davis, a staff writer with Rivals.com and NYChoops.net.

Thus concludes another enlightening player profile. This is Johnnyjungle.com proclaiming: “Not out of fear but love/ love for the game/ Roc family first, we never change man.”

Wait, what–

Matt is entering his junior year at St. John’s where he is studying Journalism. He is a lifelong resident of Whitestone, NY and he has aspirations of making it big as a screenwriter in Hollywood. In the meantime his fallback plan is continuing writing for Johnny Jungle. You can contact him at mwaters@JohnnyJungle.com

There was once a time in St. John’s history where they had to turn down local talent because they didn’t have room on their roster for all the players who wanted to play.

But the days of players like Ron Artest, Chris Mullin, and Walter Berry being recruiting locks to St. John’s are long gone.

With players defecting from the city’s most historic program left and right, head coach Norm Roberts is aggressively pursuing New York area talent.

Among the players Roberts is showing interest towards are Omari Lawrence and Kevin Parrom. Lawrence, a 6-foot-4, 185 pound shooting guard and Parrom a 6-foot-6, 185-pound small forward, both played at St. Raymond’s last season. Next season they will both move their game to South Kent, Connecticut for their senior seasons. While Lawrence’s ranking may have dropped a bit in recent weeks, Parrom is skyrocketing up the recruiting chart.  After moving up to a four-star prospect, he was recently ranked as the 88th best 2009 prospect by Rivals.
n a recent interview, when asked about schools interested in him, St. John’s was the first school out of Parrom’s mouth.

There are strong indications that the players may end up being a package deal.  They have already visited St. John’s, Xavier and Marquette together and have plans to visit Clemson.

The competition for the two is deep, with numerous Big East and other east coast schools showing interest in one or both of them.

If everything goes to plan for St. John’s, then they will receive these two verbal commitments for 2009, but one intriguing prospect is 2010 guard Mike Poole.

While just being a sophomore this past season, the 6-foot-5, 175 pound Poole has shot up the New York City rankings into the top 10.

If Parrom and Lawrence commit, St. John’s might be overloaded with swingmen.  That would make both St. John’s and Poole reluctant for a commitment.

However, St. John’s isn’t putting all their eggs in one basket so to speak because if the offers to Parrom and Lawrence fall through, then St. John’s may try to gobble up Poole before some of the other bigger schools have a chance to truly get into his ear.

One major factor that may tie into St. John’s recruiting is the rumor that Oz Cross may be hired at some capacity on the St. John’s staff. Cross is a coach with the New York Panthers AAU program and has strong ties to all three of the players. Cross also coached current St. John’s sophomore forward Justin Burrell with the Panthers. If Cross is hired by St. John’s then it’s a clear indication that St. John’s is trying to reclaim their edge on city recruiting. Especially the way other schools have basically come into the city and plucked all the talent.

A lot of these players “show interest” in St. John’s but ultimately end up elsewhere. Take 2008 point guard Kemba Walker for instance. Both Walker and St. John’s were interested.  But Jim Calhoun and the Connecticut Huskies came in and scooped him up. Why is that?

One reason is that the UConn produces NBA players.  Walker is a top prospect and barring injury should see himself in the league in a couple years.  St. John’s hasn’t produced an NBA draft pick since Omar Cook.  That immediately goes out as a red flag for a prospective player. Walker is the type of player that used to regularly come to St. John’s. Walker isn’t the only one. Queens guard Sylven Landesberg ended up in the ACC at Virginia. Also former New Jersey guard Earl Clark played big minutes for Louisville or Long Island native Danny Green coming off the bench in crucial times for North Carolina.

Robert’s is fighting to turn the corner and make his run into building St. John’s back to the powerhouse they once were.  Early recruiting is the key and we need to land our first choice guys in order to win.  If St. John’s has any type of a year like the last couple and we miss out on recruits again then its almost certain that Norm’s job will again be in jeopardy. So it is in his best interest to be on the prowl recruiting as hard as humanly possible. All indications have him doing so.

“The last few years you see (St. John’s coaches) at more and more games,” Lincoln coach Dwayne Morton said. “It’s a sign they are hustling, doing their homework.”

They say all you could do is try, but its been a long time since St. John’s has seen postseason basketball, so trying might not be enough. However Robert’s early persistence in this case might help him finally win the race and hopefully St. John’s and the Panthers paths cross for 2009 and beyond.

Ken Walter is a freelance writer who regularly contributes to JohnnyJungle.com. Ken is a Temple Alumnus and roots for the North Carolina Tarheels. He is not the punter for the NE Patriots but girls would think he was cooler if he was. He can be contacted at tua38210@temple.edu

The Big East has announced the conference match ups for the 2008-2009 season. St. John’s is said to have one of the tougher schedules in the conference however St. John’s fans should be excited for the teams we play at home this season.

2008-09 BIG EAST Men’s Basketball Opponents (Conference games)

ST. JOHN’S

Home: Cincinnati, Connecticut, Georgetown, Louisville, Notre Dame, Rutgers, Seton Hall, USF, Syracuse

Away: Cincinnati, DePaul, Marquette, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Providence, Seton Hall, Villanova, West Virginia

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CINCINNATI

Home: Connecticut, Georgetown, Louisville, Notre Dame, Providence, Rutgers, St. John’s, Seton Hall, West Virginia

Away: DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Pittsburgh, Providence, St. John’s, USF, Syracuse, Villanova

CONNECTICUT

Home: Georgetown, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Providence, Rutgers, Seton Hall, USF, Syracuse, Villanova

Away: Cincinnati, DePaul, Louisville, Marquette, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, St. John’s, Seton Hall, West Virginia

DE PAUL

Home: Cincinnati, Connecticut, Marquette, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, St. John’s, Seton Hall, USF, Villanova

Away: Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette, Pittsburgh, Providence, Rutgers, USF, Syracuse, West Virginia

GEORGETOWN

Home: Cincinnati, DePaul, Louisville, Marquette, Pittsburgh, Providence, Rutgers, Syracuse, West Virginia

Away: Cincinnati, Connecticut, Marquette, Notre Dame, St. John’s, Seton Hall, USF, Syracuse, Villanova

LOUISVILLE

Home: Connecticut, DePaul, Marquette, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Providence, Seton Hall, USF, West Virginia

Away: Cincinnati, Georgetown, Notre Dame, Rutgers, St. John’s, USF, Syracuse, Villanova, West Virginia

MARQUETTE

Home: Cincinnati, Connecticut, DePaul, Georgetown, St. John’s, Seton Hall, Syracuse, Villanova, West Virginia

Away: DePaul, Georgetown, Louisville, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Providence, Rutgers, USF, Villanova

NOTRE DAME

Home: Connecticut, Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette, Rutgers, St. John’s, Seton Hall, USF, Villanova

Away: Cincinnati, Connecticut, DePaul, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Providence, St. John’s, Syracuse, West Virginia

PITTSBURGH

Home: Cincinnati, Connecticut, DePaul, Marquette, Notre Dame, St. John’s, USF, Syracuse, West Virginia

Away: Connecticut, DePaul, Georgetown, Louisville, Providence, Rutgers, Seton Hall, Villanova, West Virginia

PROVIDENCE

Home: Cincinnati, DePaul, Marquette, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, St. John’s, Syracuse, Villanova

Away: Cincinnati, Connecticut, Georgetown, Louisville, Rutgers, Seton Hall, USF, Villanova, West Virginia

RUTGERS

Home: DePaul, Louisville, Marquette, Pittsburgh, Providence, Seton Hall, USF, Syracuse, West Virginia

Away: Cincinnati, Connecticut, Georgetown, Notre Dame, Providence, St. John’s, Seton Hall, Syracuse, Villanova

SETON HALL

Home: Connecticut, Georgetown, Pittsburgh, Providence, Rutgers, St. John’s, USF, Villanova, West Virginia

Away: Cincinnati, Connecticut, DePaul, Louisville, Marquette, Notre Dame, Rutgers, St. John’s, Syracuse

USF

Home: Cincinnati, DePaul, Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette, Providence, Syracuse, Villanova, West Virginia

Away: Connecticut, DePaul, Louisville, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, St. John’s, Seton Hall, West Virginia

SYRACUSE

Home: Cincinnati, DePaul, Georgetown, Louisville, Notre Dame, Rutgers, Seton Hall, Villanova, West Virginia

Away: Connecticut, Georgetown, Marquette, Pittsburgh, Providence, Rutgers, St. John’s, USF, Villanova

VILLANOVA

Home: Cincinnati, Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette, Pittsburgh, Providence, Rutgers, St. John’s, Syracuse

Away: Connecticut, DePaul, Marquette, Notre Dame, Providence, Seton Hall, USF, Syracuse, West Virginia

WEST VIRGINIA

Home: Connecticut, DePaul, Louisville, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Providence, St. John’s, USF, Villanova

Away: Cincinnati, Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Seton Hall, USF, Syracuse

Hope floats on forever in sports. The darkest days are preserved by a dawn reflected in the future. We cling to prodigies, the gifted. Basketball prospects benefit from their obscurity. We carve legends from the unknown, those unblemished by close inspection. Why would one of these mythical characters want to wade into the polluted waters of a beleaguered program? Was Lance Stephenson really born ready so he could lace them up for a team that couldn’t even qualify for a conference tournament?

Absolutely. Here are four good reasons why:
1. The Savior Factor: Who wouldn’t want to be a hero, besides that summer movie buzz-kill Peter Parker?

It could be argued that arrogance is a necessary ingredient within the psyche of any great athlete. And while that blind state of mind may be nothing more than a palatable substitution for ignorance, it becomes an invaluable asset in these crazy games we play. Did the Atlanta Hawks mind the odds while they battled eventual champion Boston to seven games in their memorable early round showdown? Did Joey Chestnut consider any long-range health consequences while stuffing his face with five hundred hot dogs in a bid to dethrone legendary master of gluttony Kobayashi?

Reason and logic aren’t applicable when men are serving as living metaphors. These are people who actually believe that existential Muhammad Ali Poster: Impossible is nothing. Sure, you or me may think it a clever turn of phrase, but elite athletes live it. They are blessed with talent they never requested and would never relinquish. This condition is a practical prerequisite for hubris. How many free agents have insanely agreed to pacts with languishing franchises, sporting broad smiles at press conferences, totally assured that they alone could represent the difference between victory and defeat? When the plans are scuttled however, scattered awry, how often do our beloved independent contractors refuse to live up to the agreement set forth in their labyrinth contract? They flee, thieves in the night, refusing to exist in a new nightmarish reality where the hero is conquered. Vince Carter didn’t quit on Toronto; he simply pressed reset, returned late to level one. It’s an unavoidable maze, prestige the cheese, a path traversed by the best and worst.

The overpowering allure is in surviving the metaphorical minefield, overcoming the odds, playing LeBron, carrying a franchise beyond mere respectability. LeBron didn’t even have a choice playing for his hometown, making the free agents’ potential victory all the more complete. The money is a monopoly prop. Ego is everything.

But we shouldn’t rush to judge. Because without the overwhelming arrogance, could there be virtuoso performance? The answer is no. So I propose to the recruit: why fight your hyper competitive wiring? The reasons for St. John’s languishing performance are multifold, but the results are simple and unacceptable. If the player is great, he will want to save the world. They all do. Where better to start than our oozing red quagmire?

2. The Big East: Sports run in cycles. League wide roles are reversed seemingly at random. A wide variety of circumstances congeal, largely without notice over a considerable duration of time, before exploding into clear proof that a tectonic shift has occurred between the NFC and AFC, Eastern and Western Conference, National and American League.

The clandestine machinations becoming this process are so subtle, so easily lost in the transaction wire, that the transformation is often perceived as spontaneous and disorienting. It would take an entire piece to examine why the Big East has taken such a recent quantum leap in terms of talent and depth, but it’s universally recognized by the finest college basketball minds as a totally loaded conference. Playing against weaker siblings would benefit St. John’s through the narrow prism of instant gratification, but revitalizing the dormant Red Storm in a strong, beast of a Big East is the kind of challenge a top talent senses and craves. Just how much prestige would be added, in these circumstances, to a Conference title? How much more excitement would flourish in a tournament run?
3. The Garden: Does anyone really care anymore? Can one idiotically run team ruin the image of the prestigious venue it plays in?

The New York Knicks of recent vintage have been a total disgrace. Nobody besides Jim Dolan and possibly Isiah Thomas would rebut this point. [Maybe the ominously optimistic collection of desperate Knick fans featured in those ill-fated commercials airing this past fall?].

Have the orange bloodstains of a lobotomized organization irrevocably sullied the sacred Garden hardwood? Probably not, but the loving serenades referencing the arena’s tradition and mystique have faded. The reverent flock has narrowed to those featured in the sprawling series “50 Greatest Moments at Madison Square Garden”, hosted by Matthew Modine, and no doubt airing every day until the apocalypse.

Nevertheless, salvation in sports is attainable through victory. Nothing and nobody is excluded from the blessing. The player, working tirelessly, the sportswriter, drinking heavily, the fan, booing loudly, winning redeems all, including the arena. Yankee Stadium wasn’t so romantic in the early nineties, when drug dealers and crack-heads lurked in the upper deck, more secure in the tier seats than on the Bronx streets. Then? Yankee Stadium was a liability. Now? It’s a cathedral. This osmosis, not so coincidentally, occurred upon contention. If Yankee Stadium could rise from those ashes, Madison Square Garden is poised for a fitting final run before it too, is claimed by time. The interior is still blemish free, the security staff still refreshingly intolerant of idiotic behavior, the court still shining, clothed in a favorable ethereal light. Madison Square Garden, where St. John’s always plays a slate of games, represents legitimacy. It’s delivered what greatness required, and still can.

Add in the steep, multi-million dollar financial commitment made by the administration to refurbish Carnaseca Arena, and it is the farthest from a stretch to deem St. John’s facilities impeccable.

4. New York: This town loves basketball.

New York is a Brooklyn teenager practicing his foul shots far past sundown, alone and in a zone; his will the competition, his dreams the game. New York is a fistfight breaking out between well-mannered middle age men at the Y, “a dirty pick!” one yells in the scrum. New York is Patrick Ewing ambling up court after cleaning up Stark’s mess and jamming it home.

When an activity becomes ingrained inside a society, revered for all the right and wrong reasons, the team reflecting that passion is placed on a pedestal, whether or not the roster accepts, or enjoys, this burden. The tragedy of New York basketball is this unrequited passion, a meandering play pieced together by boundless energy but long led adrift by a soulless narrative. They were starving enough to accept Isiah Thomas’ delusional trading tripe. They breathlessly defended the merits of Zach Randolph. They stuck up for Eddy Curry. They all bought Marbury jerseys back in 2002. They wait patiently for David Lee to develop a perimeter game. They plead with Crawford not to take that shot. The Knicks have been run so abhorrently, it has become a generally accepted fact, in the most demanding sports city in the world, that Donnie Walsh needs a couple of years to salvage the wreckage.

St. John’s, and the savior who accepts the responsibility of an entire city, can fill the void. New York is not a college sports town, hasn’t been for years. But with the Knicks in self-imposed purgatory, an exciting, competitive Big East team has the delicious capability to captivate a ready and willing audience. The masses could gather as one, a united front under a red flag.

In a not so distant future, Lance Stephenson just may be a way bigger star than anybody on the Knicks, the downtown billboards all his.

Who could resist this city?

Personal Note: Uncle Anthony,

Thank you for always, always encouraging me to do what I love. You were real, and when you said you liked my writing, there was no doubt in my mind you meant it. Our lack of substantial communication in recent years will be a major regret. Remember when we used to talk baseball? You were a real friend of mine. The joy I heard in your voice when you talked about that story truly redeemed what was previously a wasteful and discouraging experience. There’s no way you could have known how much that meant to me, but it meant a lot. This is dedicated to you. Everything else I write will be too. It’ll be understood from here on, like how I felt we understood each other.

Written By: Matt Waters

Matt is entering his junior year at St. John’s where he is studying Journalism. He is a lifelong resident of Whitestone, NY and he has aspirations of making it big as a screenwriter in Hollywood. In the meantime his fallback plan is continuing writing for Johnny Jungle.