If I didn't know the history of Lavins recruited classes I might agree with you but consider this......
Pointer, Sampson, Dlo and Jordan were all consensus top 50 high school players by all the major recruiting sites. Branch was rated between 50 and 60, Gift and Sanchez were Juco All Americans and CO was very highly recruited. If one or even two of these players didn't pan out, and that could happen, but this group as a whole being down by almost 30 points to a mediocre Georgetown team in the first half, that's not un talented players that's a breakdown in the entire organization. Ask yourself these two questions.
1. What other team with this much talent/experience has such miserable results?
2. If your own son was a HS All American with a shot to play at the next level, even as a die hard St. John's fan, would you send him to St. John's to play for Steve Lavin?
Yes, we know yesterday was a very bad loss. We all saw the game.
If my son was a HS AA, and I was choosing a coach to help him get to the next level, I'd be interested that coach's track record regarding developing talent. Overall record and success of the team wouldn't really matter much to me, because as you stayed, I'm looking for a coach to get my kid to the next level.
So far, of the players Lavin has brought into STJ, how many have made the next level? I count one NBA player. One player, who wasn't a McDonald's AA, yet still was drafted into the league as though he was one. How many came in with legit NBA aspirations only to fade away? I count zero that were Lavin's fault.
You also asked what other team with this much talent/experience has miserable results? Start with 94-95, 95-96, 96-97, 01-02, 03-04, and you can also point to the 06-07 team that had seniors, and several top 100 recruits on it's roster.
In reality, Lavin had realy nothing to do with Mo Harkless as you may recall it was Dunlap who coached him while Lavin was out on the recruiting trail. How many of Lavins players have improved? CO has no offensive game, Dlo while naturing off the court, still makes bad decisions, takes bad shots and 3 years on the team still is not fully aware of what his role is. Pointer was ranked 25th in HS nationally by several lists and has he improved? Branch has regressed, and look at Sampson who I believe did have pro potential as cited by pro scouts earlier in the season, has he progressed?
In terms of other teams with this much talent I was talking about current NCAA teams, but no St. John's team other then the Mullin Berry team of the early 80s and the Sealyham Werdan team even came close to such talent ( at least in the HS rankings with 4 top 50 players ) that the present team has.
Plenty of STJ teams have had recruits as highly ranked as this one. For example: the teams from 1992-2004. All of those teams read more talent on paper than this one. Even the the 03-04 team had a McD's kid, and a top 25 ESPN guard to play in the backcourt w him.
This team is experienced and deep. But they are not loaded with high level talent. Closest we have is Harrison, and I recall him being ranked around #60.
Wasn't dom in the 20's or 30's? Harrison was actually one of the lower rated players, Jakarr, branch and of course rysheed were all more highly rated than him.
correct, Dom was rated 25 by Rivals, Harrison 30 something, Rysheed, 19. Jakarr, 30 something as we'll. there were no St. John's teams in the 90s with as many highly rated players out of high school as this one and that's a FACT. !
Sure maybe, but Fran's NCAA team with Lopez (1) Hamilton (top 10-15) and Artest (top 20 or so?) was certainly more highly rated. And I may be leaving out someone else in the top 50 (cant remember if Lavor was that high, for example)
Lavor was top 50. Hamilton was #11 in one pub I recall. Artest was top 20, higher in certain pubs.
Even if you look at what Jarvis had in 00-01. Glover, Cook, Cuffe, Diakite, Shaw etc were all top 100 guys. It's what you do with this talent that matters.