LJ Figueroa Transfers

Terrible news to wake up to this morning.  LJ really screwed us!!!! Missed out on signing Salnave because of him and this is how he repays us!

https://sidelinesports.report/2020/05/26/how-lj-figueroa-screwed-st-johns/

^^An article about LJ leaving

https://twitter.com/NYPost_Brazille/status/1265274877197660160


If this is the case, we're #$%^ed

https://twitter.com/NYPost_Brazille/status/1265274877197660160


If this is the case, we're #$%^ed

1. "Schools have been in his ear" since before Anderson was hired so I'm not sure what relevance that plays now
2. Not sure on the waiver but I think he's on track to graduate after summer session 1.

Terrible news to wake up to this morning.  LJ really screwed us!!!! Missed out on signing Salnave because of him and this is how he repays us!

LJ and Salnave really had no direct impact. DePaul basically said come replace Coleman-Lands and that's a better situation for him.

The staff finally caught wind saw he was taking extra classes and connected the dots. They didn't get caught with their pants down. Good job.

Sucks to lose LJ someone who I really enjoyed watching play but I understand him seeking a better situation for himself. Wish him all the best

Also I hope none of you start the narratives....

"We're better without him..."
"He got worse last year..."
"He was never that good..."

LJ was a baller and a warrior. Played his ass off from tip to buzzer. He always went about his business never aired stuff on social media and repped the school in best way possible. Just like any one of us would want to seek a better job, he wants to seek better role/team to play for. It sucks but he's following his dream.

transferring makes sense if he can play immediately.  Clearly he was getting no interest in the draft and I think he'll probably have a better season somewhere that he's allowed to be the #3 option on offense rather than #1.  he desperately needs to improve his offensive efficiency, or at least get back to where he was two years ago.  it's at least worth a shot for him.

definitely a loss for st. john's and there will be some more pressure on the new guys to provide a scoring punch.

Finally pulled the trigger. Best of luck LJ.

All we will hear about next is Anderson's "culture".

LJ was solid but a little too wild for my liking. I enjoyed the team chemistry last season more when he wasn't on the floor. Good luck to him.

So when I posted he wasn’t happy and didn’t want to come back I was right.

The staff finally caught wind saw he was taking extra classes and connected the dots. They didn't get caught with their pants down. Good job.

Sucks to lose LJ someone who I really enjoyed watching play but I understand him seeking a better situation for himself. Wish him all the best

The athletic department makes his schedule.

Finally pulled the trigger. Best of luck LJ.

All we will hear about next is Anderson's "culture".

No clue what that means.  But, congrats, I guess.

Also I hope none of you start the narratives....

"We're better without him..."
"He got worse last year..."
"He was never that good..."

LJ was a baller and a warrior. Played his ass off from tip to buzzer. He always went about his business never aired stuff on social media and repped the school in best way possible. Just like any one of us would want to seek a better job, he wants to seek better role/team to play for. It sucks but he's following his dream.

Don't think you will hear that.  Sucks, but onward and upward.  Always liked LJ the player and wish him well.

No clue what that means.  But, congrats, I guess.

Fans saying he didn't fit Anderson's culture
It's already being said.

The athletic department makes his schedule.

Correct he took extra classes without telling his academic advisor.

Certainly didn't seem that way last year.  Played hard.  Played well at times.  Led the conference in steals.  Seemed like a good fit for the system.  Took some horrible shots and played some poor offensive basketball times - folks thought he wasn't engaged but I disagreed, as thought he was just struggling with being the focal point.  Played really well at the end of the year. 

Sucks as a fan but I'm not going to kill LJ.  Wish he would have let them know earlier explicitly but his advisors I'm sure wanted more time to assess the situation.  With the risk of having to sit out he should just go overseas and start playing for pay at this point.  The biggest mistake would be to the toil for a year as a "sit out" at the collegiate level or be subject to the NCAA whims on waiver rules.

Correct he took extra classes without telling his academic advisor.

Well that seems a bit deceptive, without me knowing the nuances of the process.  He probably should have let them know earlier if he was dead set on leaving; then again, if he wasn't dead-set on leaving, there was no need to do that.

Fans saying he didn't fit Anderson's culture
It's already being said.

I think it's fair to say he didn't buy in. This was my point in the Salnave thread that they needed to make a decision as a program do we want a wishy washy LJ who can really help us but if things go bad can poison the well potentially?

It's where you have to weigh talent vs culture. Overall this was gutsy but probably right decision by the staff as much as I hate to see LJ go.

Also this is nothing against LJ. If you worked at a company you really liked but they brought in a new boss who you didn't like working for you might seek other employment.

I think it's fair to say he didn't buy in. This was my point in the Salnave thread that they needed to make a decision as a program do we want a wishy washy LJ who can really help us but if things go bad can poison the well potentially?

It's where you have to weigh talent vs culture. Overall this was gutsy but probably right decision by the staff as much as I hate to see LJ go.

Also this is nothing against LJ. If you worked at a company you really liked but they brought in a new boss who you didn't like working for you might seek other employment.

All true.  Also, this doesn't have to be cast as a "bad" versus "good" thing.  It is entirely possible for Anderson's culture and what he's trying to build to be absolutely the right direction for the program, and LJ's decision that he wanted to do something else the best decision for him.  Just wish he would have been more upfront earlier in the process if he knew he was going to leave, but perhaps he wasn't.

I think there's a difference between fitting into a culture and buying in. LJ worked hard, didn't complain and was a good leader on and off the court. He did what was asked of him...That's fitting in imo.

Whether he liked Anderson's coaching style or agreed with his offensive and defensive philosophies is different. He is looking out for his future and maybe sees an NCAA run with a high major as a more beneficial than middle of the pack BE.