In the words of RJ Lewis Jr., the past year has been “terrible.”
He arrived at St. John's University with high expectations after a solid freshman season at the University of Massachusetts. But injuries hampered him, first a broken hand during the preseason and then a nagging shin splint.
He rarely practiced and was unable to participate in coach Rick Pitino's famous skill development sessions.
After a year and two shin surgeries, the 6-foot-7 wing genius is hoping to live up to the hype.
“I think as long as I'm healthy, I'm going to be OK. 'I'm going to do what I'm supposed to do, I'm going to play hard, and I'm going to compete,' ” St. John's practiced at the Garden as a team for the first time this year. After that, Lewis said Monday. “I was limited last year due to injuries. I've taken good care of that, so I should be able to do well this year.”
Lewis is one of four key returning players, along with Simeon Wilcher, Zubby Ejiofor and Brady Dunlap. He showed glimpses of his immense potential last year.
St. John's was 4-for-10 when Lewis scored in double figures. However, he could not maintain consistency.
It was difficult for him to play big time because he hardly practiced. When Lewis was on the court, he was frequently in pain.
“It was bad. That year was just a weird year for me,” Lewis said. Lewis averaged 10.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 23 games with the Johnnys a year ago. “I didn't practice. My coach was throwing me into games and telling me, 'Guard your No. 1 player.' I didn't have any rhythm. … I was playing through pain the whole time.”
That's no longer the case. The procedure, called muscle compartment release, alleviated the discomfort.
Since Johnny's returned to campus in the fall semester, he has been practicing in earnest. He also adjusted his shooting mechanics, at Pitino's suggestion, to eliminate the problem.
Things appeared to improve during Monday's scrimmage, with Lewis scoring 14 points and making two 3-pointers.
“I've been working on it. I'm just focused on keeping the ball up, keeping it in one motion,” he said. “It feels good, it looks good. I feel comfortable.”
He could have a big year. He's healthy, accustomed to Pitino in his second season playing for the Hall of Fame coach, and transfers include two pass-first players in Kadary Richmond (Seton Hall) and Davon Smith (Utah). He will play alongside the point guard.
Lewis won't be asked to create much. He has two teammates who are adept at doing that.
“I can benefit a lot,” Lewis said. “It's beneficial for me and widens my game. It allows me to score the ball more easily. They can also score on their own. What's really important is , take their time and play.”
Coach Pitino has praised Lewis' potential, saying there is no clear advantage because he has multiple clear strengths.
He is versatile, has an improved jump shot, and is a quality passer, rebounder, and defender. Most importantly, Junior is no longer physically limited.
Lewis is looking forward to seeing what happens without worrying about his shins, which have been bothering him for years.
“That's a big difference,” Pitino said. “He got hurt his freshman year, he got hurt his sophomore year, but he’s healthy now.”
Smith was the only player who did not practice Monday. He is suffering from a shoulder injury. Pitino expects to return later this week and play in an exhibition at Rutgers next Thursday. … Pitino has currently named three starters: Seton Hall transfer Richmond, Ejiofor and Wilcher.
