Former 5-Star Target Transfers to SJU

One of the earliest targets on Chris Mullin’s initial recruiting board has circled back to the Hall of Famer and his coaching staff. After taking the St. John’s job in late March 2015, Mullin spent that spring and summer recruiting elite guard Mustapha Heron, a Connecticut native starring for the NY Renaissance on the travel circuit.

The Red Storm missed on Heron coming out of high school as the five-star prospect committed to Auburn later that year but got their guy the second time around. Heron received his release to transfer on Tuesday and announced his intentions to transfer to St. John’s on Thursday after an official visit to campus.

The 6-foot-4 guard will seek a hardship waiver from the NCAA to become eligible immediately as he moves closer to home to be close to his ailing mother in Connecticut. As a two-year starter for the Tigers, Heron averaged 16 points and 6 rebounds, shooting 42% on 3-pointers this past season.

After his sophomore season he entered the NBA Draft without an agent and completed workouts with multiple teams despite not being invited to the combine. At workouts for the Denver Nuggets and Utah Jazz he was joined by St. John’s star Shamorie Ponds.

Heron’s eligibility will loom largely over St. John’s throughout the summer until a decision is rendered. In recent years, those hardship waivers, given to players moving closer to home due to sudden life-threatening illness to an immediate family member, have become increasingly rare. St. John’s will likely exhaust every option to have him eligible by tipoff in November.

The addition of an eligible Heron elevates postseason hopes for St. John’s as it forms one of the strongest backcourts in the Big East with Ponds and former five-star Justin Simon, along with now-eligible transfer Mikey Dixon. The Red Storm’s 2018-19 roster is now complete with 10 or 11 available players, depending on Heron’s availability.

Next year’s team will be possibly the most talented group Mullin has coached in his tenure with 7 former four-star (or better) prospects on the roster. Around the Big East, 9 of the 11 all-league performers from last season are no longer around, meaning Ponds & Co. have an opportunity to make a jump in pecking order of the Big East.