St. John's recruiting: Adonis Delarosa commits to Red Storm

Adonis Delarosa, a 6'11", 270 pound big man from Queens' Christ the King High School, verbally committed to St. John's today at his school.

"I want to thank all the schools that took the time to recruit me," Delarosa said at Christ the King. "Next year I will be attending the University of St. John's," he said, unveiling a white St. John's t-shirt and a cap. (Yes, it's St. John's University, but let's not be harsh on the local kid.)

The center, a key part of the Catholic League power for years, chose St. John's over Fordham, Pittsburgh, and others.

He hasn't been a player in the spotlight - doing the dirty work while scoring wings Rawle Alkins and Travis Atson bring in the accolades - but Adonis Delarosa told the NY Daily News that "people know, if my motor isn’t running this team isn’t going to accomplish all that we’ve done this year."

Delarosa is intriguing for his potential - he is a wide body who works the paint, but his size and conditioning have been in question on occasion. For St. John's, size is desperately needed, with the team's frontline either graduated (Orlando Sanchez, God`sgift Achiuwa) or transferring (Chris Obekpa) or going pro (Jakarr Sampson). Christian Jones, a 6'7" wing/ forward who redshirted, is the only remaining big man on the roster.

Adonis Delarosa will see minutes - as may his older brother Joey Delarosa, who has been attending classes at St. John's since leaving Florida International. Delarosa asked for his release from FIU after former coach Isiah Thomas (the former Knick coach) was fired.

Christ the King has sent players like Erick Barkley, Omar Cook and Jayson Williams to St. John's, while also listing Speedy Claxton and UConn wing Omar Calhoun as alumni as well. Current St. John's walk-on wing Khadim Ndiaye also played at Christ the King.

Delarosa was on the second team of MSG's All-City boys' basketball teams and was in the first team of this year's New York State Federation all-tournament team. Delarosa will also play in the Jordan Brand Regional Game at Madison Square Garden on April 18, alongside and against a number of future Big East players including Khadeen Carrington (Seton Hall), Paschal Chukwu (Providence) and Ismael Sanogo (Seton Hall).

St. John's, the subject of many rumors in the past weeks, returns seven scholarship players from a team that went 20-13 and fell in the first round of the NIT.