RJ Luis’ decision to remain in the NBA Draft instead of returning to college basketball to cash in on a major payday in the transfer portal was the most controversial choice a player made this spring.

Most people in Luis’ shoes, a projected fringe second round selection, would have easily opted to play another season of college basketball, while getting a major NIL package, but the Big East Player of the Year remained true to his word when he said he was not thinking about withdrawing from the draft.

Despite the criticism of his choice, Rick Pitino defended Luis on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.

“It’s a matter of going on with your future and taking less money. So, I think he’s looking at it, not as a business move, but as a future move to making the NBA,” the St. John’s head coach said.

“And every year you don’t go that route, it’s tougher to get there.”

Pitino explained that he wasn’t surprised about RJ Luis’ decision because the Big East Player of the Year told him months ago that he was going to stay in the draft.

Luis’ time at St. John’s came to a controversial ending after he was benched in the Red Storm’s NCAA Tournament loss against Arkansas for the final five minutes. A week later he announced his intentions to enter the NBA Draft while also putting his name into the transfer portal to keep all of his options open. However, one thing was certain that he would not be returning to St. John’s.

“He’s going to be a great pro,” Pitino added prior to his ceremonial first pitch of the New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians game.

“What people don’t realize, because they haven’t coached him, is how good of a passer he is, how good a shot blocker he is, how good an offensive rebounder he is. They just see the scoring ability.”

Luis averaged 18.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.4 steals per game for the Johnnies this season while shooting 43.9-percent from the floor and 33.6-percent from 3-point range. He participated in the NBA Draft Combine in addition to having individual workouts for several NBA teams.

“He’ll improve his 3-point shooting once he gets to that level and then I think he’ll be lethal in what he can do.”  

The two-day NBA Draft begins on Wednesday, June 25 with the first round and will be followed by the second round on Thursday, June 26. St. John’s has three other draft eligilbe players in Kadary Richmond, Deivon Smith, and Aaron Scott.

Texas high school athletes over 17 years of age can now sign name, image and likeness deals under a new law signed Thursday by Gov. Greg Abbott, but it doesn’t pave the way for them to earn compensation.

The legislation aligns the state with the upcoming House v. NCAA settlement that allows colleges to directly pay athletes.

Before signing name, image and likeness deals, athletes over 17 must first be enrolled in college as the University Interscholastic League (UIL), the high school governing body, still prohibits its student-athletes from profiting on NIL.

“Unless a prospective student athlete younger than 17 years of age is enrolled at an institution of higher education, an individual, corporate entity, or other organization, including an institution to which this section applies, may not enter into an arrangement relating to the athlete’s name, image, or likeness with the athlete or with an individual related to the athlete by consanguinity or affinity,” the law states.

Under UIL governance, Texas is among a handful of states that doesn’t allow NIL benefits for its student-athletes. More than 40 other governing bodies around the country do.

The House v. NCAA settlement is expected to provide $2.6 billion in back payments to college athletes who missed out on NIL from 2016 to when payments were legalized in 2021. Additionally, the settlement allows universities to use revenue for athletes’ NIL from broadcasts of games and other fiscal avenues.

It changes the way NIL money is doled out to college players. Prior, student-athletes could only partner with third-party entities. Now, schools can provide up to $20.5 million for their athletes and be able to use that as a recruiting hook for high school athletes.