The Promising Polee

With the lights low and 3,300 plus fans looking on at Carnesecca Arena, deep bass shaking the speakers on the sidelines and a palpable, stirring energy in the crowd, a thick smoke forms in front of the tunnel on the far side of the court. As the beat drops and his name appears in huge white letters on the jumb-o-tron above the court, a lanky 6’8” figure emerges from the smoke to a thunderous applause from the crowd.

And so begins the career of freshman Dwayne Polee as a member of the Red Storm.

Outside of his black team practice gear, he is going old-school. Wearing all red (a headband, wristbands, elbow pads, knee pads, and James Worthy-esque glasses) the Los Angeles, California native moves toward center court to greet his teammates. Seeing the smiles on the faces of sophomore guards Quincy Roberts and Malik Stith as Polee approaches, there seems to be something different about this 2010 team. It may very well have started with new head coach Steve Lavin and the first recruit of his tenure in Queens, Polee himself.

“We’ve kind of taken [Polee] under our wing and showed him the things he needs to do to succeed,” said senior leader DJ Kennedy.

Heralded as one of the most high-impact players to come to St. John’s in years, there is a great deal of intrigue for a player who has kept a low profile since his arrival.

Most fans knew little more of the reigning Los Angeles City Player of the Year than his impressive athleticism and versatility in the open floor, an image shaped from a series of online mixtapes featuring his emphatic dunks in high school and AAU.

For that reason, Red Storm Tip-off takes on the feel of a showcase. Everyone packs into Carnesecca Arena to bear witness to the release of Red Storm 2.0. The entire event is packaged and presented as the exit from the doldrums that plagued the program. Dwayne Polee is now at the forefront, the first piece en route to the rebirth.

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As the new-look Red Storm take the floor for lay-up lines, faces cleanly shaven – a rule of Lavin’s – it is worth noting the dynamic that exists between the nine seniors and the lone newcomer. Though (or perhaps “because”) most are his elder by nearly four years, it appears that Polee has slipped seamlessly into the system. He is not carrying any sense of entitlement or unwarranted pride as a top recruit, but understands that he could be the final piece that pushes this core group of seniors to the tournament for the first time in their careers.

Coach Lavin, understanding the pieces with which he is working the season, said, “it’s just a great opportunity to take a group of hardworking experienced players and try to continue that climb so they can reach the goal they’ve had since the day they came to St. John’s, and that is to make the NCAA Tournament.”

Every time Polee gets the ball in these layup lines, the crowd’s attention is focused solely on him. This is the first time that many have seen his talents in person, the point has come where all speculation about his skills will be laid to rest. In his first attempt from the right side of the basket, he goes up with one hand and puts down a relatively routine dunk with ease. He returns to the other line to continue the drill, the crowd and he both knowing full well that that was just an appetizer.

But with all the upside that Polee has shown in his limited time so far at St. John’s, he knows that there is much work to be done. Coming out of high school at 6’8”, 180 pounds, many scouts criticized his lack of bulk and said it would hurt him at the college level. A newly developed and difficult weight training regime has helped him catch up.

“Since I’ve been here, I’ve put on ten pounds, so that’s been my biggest thing right now,” Polee said. In the Big East, a conference known for physical toughness and a bruising style of play, he will have to add even more to his frame to be able to defend one-on-one on the low block.

Offensively, there is no doubt that his biggest strength and where he will be utilized the most is in the open court. There, he is able to get out and run, using his athleticism to stretch the defense. But questions have been raised as to whether he can be equally effective when the Johnnies are slowed down and limited to a half court set. He needs to continue to develop his jumpshot from the outside, which will draw defenders out to him on the perimeter, opening up driving lanes and a chance for big finishes at the rim. Though he needs to add even more strength and weight, those ten pounds of muscle that he has added will be important when he needs to power his way to the basket at the college level.

Since coming to Queens, Polee has worked with the newly assembled coaching staff, including Mike Dunlap and Rico Hines, both of whom have coaching experience in the NBA, along with Tony Chiles, a respected assistant at the Division I level with Drexel and Iona. This staff, in addition to all the senior leadership, has helped the freshman fit right in. Polee: “I’m feeling real comfortable with my role, so I feel like this season is going to be real good for me.”

As the intra-squad scrimmage begins, Polee’s team, in red, is bringing the ball up on the first fast break of the night, off a missed shot at the other end. Malik Boothe, the senior point guard, is pushing down the center of the court. Polee is streaking down the right side, unguarded, closing in on the basket. Seeing him, Boothe floats an alley-oop off to the right of the rim. Taking off from far outside the paint, Polee glides through the air, grabbing the ball, head nearly above the rim, and throws it down with two hands. He hangs on the rim for a moment as the crowd goes wild, fans looking at each other with a “did you just see that?” look on their faces.

Polee, running back downcourt, points to Boothe in recognition of the assist. A truth has become abundantly clear: the page has been turned and a new chapter has begun in the history of St. John’s Basketball.