Reactions: Rysheed Jordan commitment

St. John's fans are elated about the verbal commitment of Rysheed Jordan. Another athletic guard joins, but this one should be ready to enhance the long matchup zone defense that served the Red Storm so well this season, while adding the scoring punch and at-the-rim athleticism that was missing.

He will wait to officially sign until next Wednesday at an official ceremony at his high school, per his AAU coach, and will take classes this summer - which means he should be eligible to join in the Red Storm's foreign tour in August.

Stats notes

Rysheed Jordan, leader of the PIAA Class A State Champion Vaux High team and Class A state player of the year averaged 25 points per game, 6.1 rebounds per game, 3.6 steals, and 4.3 assists per game per MaxPreps.

He shot 58% inside the arc, 34% from beyond the three-point line, and 72% from the free throw line. He drew 250 fouls (and shot 465 shots - a Free Throw Ratio of 54%); he took two-thirds of his shots inside the arc. And at just under 17 shots per game in high school, he knows how to get his shot off.

In the Papers

After you read the basics about Rysheed Jordan's commitment and what he could mean for the Red Storm (along with some video of the player), see what other outlets are saying.

NY Post // St. John's lands top PG recruit Rysheed Jordan - NYPOST.com

Jordan adds explosion and potent scoring to the Red Storm backcourt, and could form a dynamic duo with star sophomore D’Angelo Harrison, if the combustable standout returns.

ESPN NY // Rysheed Jordan commits to St. John's Red Storm - ESPN New York

...Jordan expressed a desire to leave Philadelphia, however, and St. John's provided him the opportunity to still play on the East Coast within reasonable distance to his large Philadelphia-based family.

"I love Philly and Temple," Jordan said. "Coach Dunphy is great, but I wanted to go away from home but decided not too far, so UCLA was out. I have been in Philly my whole life, and I want to experience new things."

...Jordan is the first player to commit to Lavin in this year's class and can officially sign his letter of intent once the spring signing period (April 17-May 15) begins Wednesday.

The Torch // Top Recruit Rysheed Jordan Commits to St. John’s

Kamal Yard, Jordan’s travel team director with the Philly Pride AAU team, told the Torch that he is “a tough hombre,” who “doesn’t mind getting dirty.”

“St. John’s is getting a player that they haven’t had in a while,” Yard said. “This guy is athletic with play making skills.”

Yard said that to his knowledge Jordan will be taking class at St. John’s this summer.

CBS Sports // Rysheed Jordan's pledge could mean NCAAs for Red Storm next year

He can get to the rim against most defenders, and knows how to finish in the lane. His outside shot can be inconsistent at times, but he dominates in transition. Defensively, his length and strong body make him a factor....He will make an immediate impact for the Red Storm, and will likely flourish in Lavin's free-wheeling system.

St. John's stumbled down the stretch, going 2-7 to finish the regular season and then losing to Villanova in the Big East tournament. Prior to that, though, the Red Storm were squarely in the mix for an at-large bid.

With Jordan in the mix, they could certainly get back -- and possibly take the next step into the NCAA tournament.

College Hoops Digest // NY State of Mind: 5 Star Recruit Jordan Picks St. John's

Lavin has shown with the commitment of Jordan that he hasn't lost a step in recruiting. Now the pressure is on him and the St. John's team to make the NCAA Tournament in 2013-14. Anything less than that will be viewed as a major disappointment by the St. John's fan base. With the move into the new conference and a very talented roster, St. John's has positioned itself well to take over the back page of the NYC tabloids next season.

Philly.com // Rysheed Jordan talks about picking St. John's

Jordan talked about how he is getting buried by Temple supporters on social media.

"It's crazy," Jordan said. "The Temple people are really coming at me. I expected it. I was prepared for it. It's not bothering me. I did know how much they wanted me, so I figured this was gonna happen."

Rivals // Jordan worth the wait for St. John's

Given his overall tools and the way he has played as a senior, Jordan is likely going to make a move up in the final 2013 rankings and be elevated from four to five-star status.

NY Daily News // St. John’s lands top recruit Rysheed Jordan as Philly star tweets ‘IM A JOHNNIE’

Several national websites that track recruiting and rank the players have him at a Top 50 choice – some in the Top 25 – and among the best five point guards.

ESPN Recruiting // St. John's Red Storm commit Rysheed Jordan an all-around PG ($)

He will also excel at creating when the play breaks down and at end-of-clock situations, where he has the ability to score or deliver the ball to an open teammate. In the half-court offense, Jordan creates off the dribble with his tremendous first step. He not only can get to the rim and finish through contact, but he also has the ability to hit the mid-range pull-up jumper.

Additionally, he is excellent at getting teammates involved and has shown great improvement in running a team. Jordan can excel both in a fast-paced game or when he has to slow down and execute to set up his offensive attack.

ESPN Recruiting // Rysheed Jordan could become Storm's latest Big East Rookie of the Year ($)

Jordan has all the tools to be a great defender. He's long and quick, has instincts to anticipate plays away from the ball and the athleticism to erase mistakes....

Based on his obvious talent and fit into St. John's style of play, Jordan should be very capable of making an immediate impact next season. But one of the most intriguing things about Jordan is that he's just beginning to scratch the surface of his potential.

ESPN College Rumors // Jordan propels St. John's into contention

Juniors will make up most of a team that will be expected to make the NCAA tournament next year but Jordan will greatly help the cause. The Philadelphia native can compete for a starting spot immediately and become a floor leader in his first year. St. John's is in good position to compete near the top of the new Big East in 2013-14.

24/7 Sports // ...examines the Rysheed Jordan commitment to St. John's

The Bruins were also an option. Jordan visited a couple times and said he liked what one-time coach Ben Howland had to offer. Once Steve Alford was hired, the communication lines were never apparently the same.

St. John's emerged as a player during the early stages of the whole recruiting process and coach Steve Lavin remained in constant contact with Jordan. The Red Storm head honcho, in fact, was in attendance to see him during the recent state playoffs. Perhaps that helped to seal the deal.

And if you want, see more from the UCLA side at Bruins Nation and from the Temple side at Owls Blog or the City of Basketball Love.

The players are excited.

A new warrior has arrived. welcome to the squad @sheedjordan #stjbb #spartans

— Obekpa chris (@obekpa12) April 11, 2013

Spartans?

@sheedjordan welcome 2 the fam my dude. You already kno what it is #stjbb

— Phil Greene (@philgreene31) April 11, 2013