Malik Stith withdraws from St. John's team

by Quinn Rochford on Feb 8, 2012 6:12 PM EST in St. John's Red Storm men's basketball

And then there were six.

It was announced late Wednesday afternoon by the St. John's basketball Twitter account that junior guard Malik Stith has chosen to leave the team. Stith plans to stay enrolled at the school and begin working in a student assistant role.

Stith, who has only played at least 20 minutes in five of the St. John's Red Storm's 23 games this season, was unable to find a role with the new group that coach Steve Lavin has brought to Queens. Coming into the 2011-12 season, it was believed that Stith would embrace a primarily leadership-driven role.

The junior guard was ironically nicknamed "Pops" by his teammates over the summer. The team that already was plagued by depth issues will be left with only six regular players for the remainder of the season.

More, below the fold.

"For personal reasons Malik has chosen to no longer participate as a member of our basketball team," said Steve Lavin in a prepared statement. "He will instead take on a role as a student-assistant and continue working toward completing his St. John's degree."

Stith joins a growing list of St. John's players or commitments to leave or de-commit from the program. Since Lavin has taken over as head coach, Quincy Roberts, Dwayne Polee Jr., and Nurideen Lindsey (among others) have decided that the Red Storm isn't the program for them.

For the current team, Malik's decision came as a surprise. The team was told of the situation on Tuesday, the day before they suffered a demoralizing 76-54 loss to Cincinnati.

"He was one of the leaders on the team. It hurts," freshman guard D`Angelo Harrison said. "We need to step up and fill his role. We love having Malik around, but whatever the coaches want, we'll go with it."

"It was definitely a surprise. We weren't expecting it at all," Moe Harkless said after the game. "We found out [Tuesday]. Malik and I are close and we spoke. But it's not my business, so I won't say anything about it."

Though the specific reason for Stith's withdrawal may never be disclosed, there are rumblings. It is speculated that his relationship with assistant coach Mike Dunlap was affecting the guard's morale and that playing time had become an issue.

"We don't pity ourselves," said Dunlap. "Just because someone is struggling doesn't mean he isn't still a part of us. "Malik will always be part of the family. But it's a challenge."

The New York Daily News' Roger Rubin reported that Stith may seek to transfer to Division II C.W. Post to play for former St. John's assistant Chris Casey. For now, Stith will remain at St. John's.

Stith has never been an integral part of the St. John's operation, under either former coach Norm Roberts or under Lavin. For whatever reason, he decided Wednesday that he will go in a different direction.

"Coach Lavin and I have met over the past couple of days about my future," mentioned Stith in a statement. "Right now I feel that I need to do what is best for my family."

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WTF

Absolutely ridiculous. There must be something going on behind the scenes…something significant. Sampson, Gathers, Lindsey, Stith, Polee, etc. Has this EVER happened before? ALL these people just up and leaving randomly? If you don’t want to play for SJ then DON’T COME HERE. All these guys think they are big shots and want the team to revolve around them, then they whine and cry and ultimately elect to leave the team instead of shutting up and helping the team win. I am so sick of this crap. Is any team in the nation as thin as us?

by brandon.andersen1 on Feb 8, 2012 7:22 PM EST reply actions

Stith wasn't playing much...

Relatively. But yeah, this is ridiculous.

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by picodulce on Feb 9, 2012 9:38 AM EST up reply actions

FFS.

Unless there’s something else going on here, it is so incredibly lame to quit a team with a 7 man rotation when you’re one of the rotation guys. Nuri and now Malik have proven that they have terrible character.

by Joamiq on Feb 8, 2012 10:29 PM EST reply actions

I have no inside information

But my opinion is that there is something else. I wouldn’t be quick to blame Malik for “quitting” on the team or his relationship with Dunlap. Tonight, I heard the words “family” and “personal” used multiple times in discussions of the situation. For now, I’ll go with that.

Follow @QSTJHoops

by Quinn Rochford on Feb 8, 2012 10:52 PM EST up reply actions

I dunno.

We heard that with Nuri too, and then he transferred to a school infinity times further away from home than St. John’s. It’s unfortunate, but these days it seems like kids toss around the words “family” and “personal” as a front. And now news is emerging that his relationship with Dunlap was indeed an issue…

by Joamiq on Feb 10, 2012 4:05 PM EST up reply actions

This is a big problem.

First, you have seven games left and you can’t stick it out? Word is he did not like playing for Dunlap nor his minutes. Lavin needs to get control of this team

by redmen9194 on Feb 8, 2012 10:39 PM EST reply actions

but he'll be a student manager?

It seems that there may be something else going on as well.

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by picodulce on Feb 8, 2012 10:58 PM EST up reply actions

Dunlap's role in Stith's departure?

I added this to the Fanposts and the Facebook, but if you haven’t seen those, the Daily News’ Roger Rubin drops an interesting tidbit: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/college/st-john-suffers-setback-departure-malik-stith-hours-red-storm-lose-cincinnati-article-1.1019616

Stith wasn’t at the Garden but, according to a school statement, he could play some role with the program starting next week and will finish the semester at the school. People familiar with the Hempstead, L.I., product said he is considering a transfer to Division II C.W. Post, where former St. John’s assistant Chris Casey is now head coach. They also indicated that his relationship with assistant coach Mike Dunlap, who is handling game coaching while head coach Steve Lavin recuperates from prostate cancer surgery, had deteriorated and played some role in his choice.

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by picodulce on Feb 9, 2012 9:37 AM EST reply actions