Although St. John’s enjoyed its best season in 25 years, it didn’t result in any draft picks. However, shortly after the season concluded, three former Red Storm players—Kadary Richmond, RJ Lewis, and Aaron Scott—secured professional contracts.
Sources report that Lewis, who was named the Big East Player of the Year and excelled in the Big East Tournament, has signed a two-way deal with the Jazz.
Richmond has placed some conditions on his contract with the Wizards, while Scott is set to attend the Summer League with the Celtics.
Meanwhile, Davon Smith is still contemplating his next steps.
It was unexpected that Lewis, who some had anticipated would be selected in the middle rounds, went undrafted during the two-day NBA event.
During his third year, Lewis had impressive averages of 18.2 points and 7.2 rebounds.
Many scouts assumed he’d likely land a two-way contract, although concerns about his three-point shooting and decision-making were noted.
“It’s challenging for him; he has to transition from being a star to a role player,” commented an NBA scout familiar with Lewis. “That shift isn’t easy, so it would probably benefit him to gain some experience in the G-League. He’s definitely going to improve his shooting consistency,” the scout added.
Interestingly, Lewis had also entered the transfer portal when he announced for the draft back in March.
Though he opted to stay in the draft, Lewis did well by transferring. This spring’s top transfer market saw players fetching amounts upward of $2 million, sometimes even more.
Last season, an NBA two-way contract was valued at $560,000.
Lewis and coach Rick Pitino mutually agreed it was best to part ways after St. John’s season ended with a loss to Arkansas in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
“The difference in NBA salaries compared to college is huge. So, it wasn’t a tough choice,” said Lewis, who participated in 18 NBA workouts before the draft. “I aimed to replicate my sophomore year at St. John’s, but injuries held me back. Still, this year has been fantastic. Ultimately, my goal is to make it in the NBA and succeed there.”
