Whitehead Commits, Red Storm Lose NYC's Best Player to Seton Hall

Isaiah Whitehead, a product of Brooklyn's famed Lincoln high school, made the shocking decision to attend Seton Hall University today. During an afternoon press conference Whitehead, who is one of the country's top shooting guards and a McDonald's All-America candidate, surprisingly announced his intentions to join the Pirates over the likes of Indiana and the local school that many believed to be the favorite to land him, St. John's. With Whitehead heading to the Hall, coach Kevin Willard now has a formidable 2014 class to bring into the new Big East. The blue chip prospect will team up with his close friend Khadeem Carrington [Brooklyn/Bishop Loughlin] and prep school standout Angel Delgado [Huntington Prep].

Isaiah Whitehead will be a Seton Hall Pirate in 2014

Across the river, the St. John's Red Storm have once again failed to lure a prized New York City recruit to their Queens, NY campus. Even as the Red Storm currently stand as a popular sleeper pick to win the Big East, featuring a roster that is loaded with talent from top to bottom, the program defining local commitment has eluded them once again. For nearly a decade the Red Storm have watched nearly all of New York City's best talent leave the five boroughs. The Johnnies were barely in the running for Lance Stephenson when he was being touted as one of the city's best prospects ever. They were jilted at the altar by Sylven Landesberg, despite Landesberg playing his high school ball minutes away from the St. John's campus. Those recruiting failures came on the watch of former head coach Norm Roberts. Since current coach Steve Lavin took over the program in 2010, he has yet to sign anyone "great" either. A McDonald's All-American hasn't signed with the Red Storm since Omar Cook in 2000. However, some of Lavin's "good" signings have quickly turned into great players [see current NBA contributor Maurice Harkless]. The Red Storm have used superior player development to turn top 100 prospects into All-American contributors. With a growing reputation for skill development that features a very pro-centric coaching staff, it's confusing to see top notch recruits pass over the Johnnies year after year. Isaiah Whitehead is the latest elite prospect to sidestep coach Lavin's overtures. Last year, it was New Jersey prospect Kyle Anderson that chose UCLA over the Red Storm. Even without elite recruits, the Red Storm have built a top tier program that is poised to stand out in the new Big East. Still, we can only imagine what Lavin and his staff would be able to do with Whitehead, an elite level defender with a NBA-body and a deft scoring touch. While it is clear that brighter days are ahead for the Red Storm, ascending to the heights of national title contention will be dependent on securing the signature of players like Isaiah Whitehead