Before Tip-Off on Oct. 12, the casual St. John’s basketball fan might not have known about L.J. Figueroa. The hype belonged to returning star Shamorie Ponds and incoming transfer Mustapha Heron. Things have changed.
The soft-spoken Figueroa broke out in a loud way at Tip-Off, introducing himself with passionate dance moves, sweet mid-range jumpers and thunderous alley-oop finishes. Figueroa’s endearment to the Carnesecca Arena faithful proved to be the culmination of a long journey that’s taken him all over the continental United States. After looking for the right spot, Figueroa had no doubt in his mind where the journey would take him next.