After transferring from UMass following his freshman season, guard RJ Luis Jr. joined St. John’s to play for legendary head coach Rick Pitino, who coincidentally played his college basketball at UMass during the early 1970s.
Luis Jr. delivered an exceptional campaign that positioned him as one of college basketball’s breakout stars, though his NBA Draft stock has experienced unexpected volatility, which led to him not being drafted at all in the 2025 NBA Draft.
From Breakout Star to Undrafted
Luis Jr. proved outstanding during the 2024-25 season, averaging 18.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 43.9% from the field, 74.7% from the free-throw line, and 33.6% from beyond the arc in 35 games for the Red Storm. His statistical excellence helped propel St. John’s to unprecedented success under Pitino’s leadership.
The Miami native guided the Red Storm to a stellar 31-5 record, including an 18-2 mark in Big East play, where they captured both the regular season and conference tournament championships. St. John’s earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, where they dominated Omaha 83-53 in the first round before falling to Arkansas 75-66 in a disappointing second-round upset.
Luis Jr.’s individual accolades reflected his team’s success and his personal growth. He earned 2024-25 Big East Player of the Year honors, received Consensus Second Team All-American recognition and was named the Big East Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. These achievements marked him as the first St. John’s player to win Big East Player of the Year since Walter Berry in 1986.
Despite speculation that Luis Jr. might return to school or explore the transfer portal to test his market value, he ultimately declared for the NBA Draft.
At the 2025 NBA Draft Combine, he measured 6 feet 5.75 inches without shoes, 210.0 pounds, with a 6-foot-10.5-inch wingspan, 8-foot-7.5-inch standing reach, a 31.5-inch no-step vertical, and a 38.0-inch maximum vertical.
Draft Stock Slides Despite Strong Resume
Luis Jr. was viewed as a mid-second-round pick by most draft analysts. The versatile guard demonstrates toughness and adaptability, with the athleticism necessary to defend multiple positions. Most importantly to his supporters at St. John’s, he has consistently shown winning intangibles throughout his collegiate career.
However, Luis Jr. has continued to slide in many 2025 NBA Draft projections despite his impressive college production. Several factors have contributed to concerns about his professional readiness and long-term potential at the next level.
One primary reason for Luis Jr.’s declining draft stock relates to efficiency questions. Scouts describe his overall game as a work in progress, and although he displays considerable confidence, he struggles with consistency from beyond the arc.
His offensive flow can stagnate during crucial possessions, raising questions about his ability to create reliable scoring opportunities against NBA-level athleticism and defensive schemes.
His former coach maintains unwavering confidence in Luis Jr.’s professional prospects and overall development trajectory.
“He’s going to be a great pro,” Pitino said. “What people don’t realize, because they haven’t coached him, is how good of a passer he is, how good of a shot-blocker he is, how good of an offensive rebounder he is.
“They just see the scoring ability, so he’ll improve his 3-point shooting once he gets to that level, and then I think he’ll be lethal with what he can do.”
With targeted improvements in shooting mechanics and ball-handling consistency, Luis Jr. could emerge as a valuable undrafted free agent signing for a team willing to invest in his development.
