The St. John's Red Storm needed a momentum boost in the 2015 class -- and they got it Monday morning.
Brandon Sampson, one of the best guards remaining on the board, made his commitment to Steve Lavin and the Red Storm.
"They've been recruiting him since the ninth grade, so he has a great relationship with them," Madison Prep coach Jeff Jones said. "He wanted to make an immediate impact as a freshman, and St. John's afforded him that opportunity. On his official visit, he looked forward to playing in Madison Square Garden. He just felt like St. John's was the best spot for him."
Sampson, a 6-foot-4 guard, is ranked No. 32 in the ESPN 100. He chose St. John's over California and USC. LSU was also in the mix, but the Tigers prioritized Antonio Blakeney and picked up a commitment earlier this month.
This is an important commitment for St. John's, as the Red Storm haven't made a splash on the recruiting circuit the past few years. They missed out on top-ranked point guard Isaiah Briscoe during the fall, and had just one commit so far: three-star guard Samir Doughty.
"In my opinion, this is the biggest commitment that Lavin has got since he's been there, given the time and where they are," Jones said. "He got a really good group of kids when he got there, but Brandon is a big signee."
St. John's still has four scholarships available in the 2015 class, and the Red Storm will lose four of their top six players from this season - including D'Angelo Harrison (20.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg). Sampson can help fill those shoes, with his ability to play both guard positions and be a scorer as well as a playmaker.
"I think he fits perfectly there," Jones said. "He's a high-level athlete. He's an outstanding jump shooter. That free flowing play fits his game. He's going to be able to come in and score the ball for them. They needed him more than they wanted him."
Moving forward, the biggest target for St. John's will be elite big man Cheick Diallo, the No. 7-ranked player in the ESPN 100.