St. John’s Signs Top-Rated Prospects

QUEENS, N Y– St. John’s received a pair of National Letters of Intent from Bashir Ahmed (Bronx, N.Y.) and Richard Freudenberg (Heidelberg, Germany), who officially signed with the Red Storm men’s basketball program Wednesday. The highly rated prospects join incoming freshman Shamorie Ponds (Brooklyn, N.Y.) to make up one of the top recruiting classes in the nation that ranks 21st overall according to CBS 247Sports.com.

Ahmed is a 6-foot-7 guard who starred at Hutchinson Community College in Hutchinson, Kan. The only Blue Dragon to earn NJCAA All-America honors twice, Ahmed garnered Division I First Team All-American status in 2015-16 after averaging 20.1 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 31.9 minutes per contest.

“Bashir certainly adds a new dimension to our roster,” said Head Coach Chris Mullin. “He is an experienced scorer with versatility to play multiple positions. Bashir brings a tremendous work ethic to the court and can have an immediate impact.”

A native of the Bronx, Ahmed was named the 2016 Jayhawk Conference Most Valuable Player and helped lead Hutchinson to one of the best seasons in program history. He guided Hutchinson to a 32-5 overall record and its second-straight NJCAA Tournament appearance last season.

Ahmed’s 742 points were the fourth-highest total in the nation and the 10th-most points in program history for a single season. The Blue Dragons advanced to the national championship game for the first time since 1994. He was named to the All-Tournament team after averaging 20.0 points and 8.5 rebounds during the postseason run.

“I am grateful to be a part of St. John’s University. It is a dream come true for me,” said Ahmed. “I’ve worked very hard to get to this point and feel honored to have the opportunity to play for two Hall of Famers in Chris Mullin and Mitch Richmond. I am looking forward to winning at the highest level with all the support from my hometown.”

During Ahmed’s sensational sophomore campaign he tied the Blue Dragons’ single-game record, scoring 46 points in a triple overtime contest versus Cowley. He also produced 15 double-doubles, scored 20-points or more 17 times and went for 30-points or more in four games. His 54 3-pointers were the 11th-most in program history, while his 230 made free throws were the second-most ever for a Hutchinson player.

In 2014-15, Ahmed was named Freshman of the Year for the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference West Division, averaging 16.4 points and 7.1 rebounds over 34 games. In addition, he was an NJCAA All-American Honorable Mention and was selected to both the All-Conference and All-Region teams.

Rated No. 2 among junior college players in the 2016 class, Ahmed finished his career at Hutchinson sixth all-time on the scoring list with 1,328 points, second with 390 free-throws made and 11th with 101 3-pointers.

Freudenberg, a 6-foot-9 forward from Heidelberg, Germany, is a consensus four-star prospect that ranks 10th for his position in the class of 2016 according to CBS 247Sports.com.

Freudenberg spent the past three seasons playing for Bayern Munich in Germany’s top division. While competing in the U19 German League in 2015-16, Freudenberg averaged 19 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and nailed nearly 40 percent of his 3-point attempts. Freudenberg was elevated to the club’s First Team for three games during the 2015-16 campaign where he competed against the top competition in the league.

“We are excited to have Richard join our basketball program,” said Mullin. “Richard has good shooting range, a high basketball IQ and can play several positions. We feel he can excel in our style of play and will continue to evolve as a player as he goes through our development program.”

In 2014-15, Freudenberg helped lead Bayern Munich to the U19 German League championship after averaging 14.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. He scored 24 points in the title game to lift Bayern Munich past Skyliners Frankfurt, 69-59, and was named the Most Valuable Player. Freudenberg also participated in the U18 Next Generation Tournament in 2014-15 where he posted 14.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.7 steals per game.

“I can’t wait to take this next step in my life by joining a program with great tradition in St. John’s and playing for a legend in Chris Mullin,” said Freudenberg. “It is a special opportunity to attend St. John’s University, to play in one of the greatest cities in the world, New York City, and the best arena, Madison Square Garden. I look forward to working with Coach Mullin and improving every day.”

A member of the German national program, Freudenberg most recently represented his native country as a captain of the U18 team in 2016 at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament. He averaged 12 points and eight rebounds to earn All-Tournament Team honors and help Germany to a gold medal. Freudenberg previously competed in the European Championships in 2013 and 2015 as a member of the U-16 team and U-18 teams, respectively.

Freudenberg has been invited to some of the elite basketball camps for international prospects. He participated in NBA and FIBA sponsored Basketball Without Borders Europe in Gran Canaria, Spain, in 2015. This past February, Freudenberg was among the top 40 international prospects that competed in the Basketball Without Borders Global Camp in Toronto where he received All-Tournament Team honors.

Ahmed and Freudenberg bolster St. John’s nationally ranked class that also features Ponds, a 2016 Mr. New York Basketball finalist who has risen as high as No. 36 in next year’s class by national recruiting services following a spectacular senior campaign at Thomas Jefferson High School in Brooklyn. The 6-foot-1 guard led Jefferson to a PSAL title and Federation championship averaging 29 points, eight rebounds and six assists last season. Ponds was named to the 2016 Jordan Brand Classic All-American Team and will compete with the top high school players from across the country in the 15th annual Jordan Brand Classic Game at Barclays Center on April 15.