Over the past few years, Rick Pitino and the Red Storm have largely sat out high school recruiting races, choosing to build their roster through the transfer portal with experienced veterans. In the rare instances they do pursue talent from high school, they hunt for a blue-chip prospect with high potential. Their latest target from the amateur ranks fits that bill.
St. John’s will host Malachi Jordan, a five-star recruit from the class of 2027, for a recruiting visit this weekend. Jordan is set to visit campus on Friday and attend Sunday afternoon’s exhibition against Texas at Madison Square Garden. The news was first reported by recruiting analyst Sam Kayser.
Jordan is listed as the No. 19 prospect and the sixth-ranked small forward in his class according to 247Sports’ composite rankings. The 6-foot-7 wing has already visited Alabama, USC, Kansas, Vanderbilt, and Tennessee, and also holds offers from UConn, Ohio State, Missouri, and Washington.
Hailing from Nashville, Tennessee, Jordan is considered one of the most athletically gifted players in his class by recruiting experts. 247Sports director of scouting Adam Finkelstein wrote in his evaluation of Jordan that he has “a powerful frame, a long 6-foot-11 plus wingspan, and explosive vertical athleticism.”
While Finkelstein lauds Jordan’s physical talents and even credits him for having some intriguing technical skills and feel for the game, he believes Jordan still needs to work on his shooting efficiency and operating within the flow of an offense.
“Conversely though, when he gets caught up in trying to prove himself, or isn’t utilized correctly, he gets inefficient,” Finkelstein writes. “So, it’s not so much about his ability to see or make the right play, but more about a willingness to do it.”
If Jordan commits to St. John’s, he would be the highest-ranked commit to sign with the Red Storm directly out of high school in the Rick Pitino era, surpassing Simeon Wilcher (ranked No. 35 in class of 2023).
The Red Storm’s exhibition against Texas tips off at 12 p.m. on Sunday afternoon from Madison Square Garden and can be watched on ESPN+ or MSG Network.