St. John's has added a significant piece to its men's basketball program with the commitment of high-scoring Auburn forward Keyshawn Hall. The move comes during a dynamic offseason for the Johnnies, potentially raising the team's ceiling for the next season.
Hall, a 6-foot-7 forward, averaged 19.3 points per game last season for Auburn. His addition aims to bolster a frontcourt that recently lost a key player, Donnie Freeman, who suffered a torn Achilles tendon during summer workouts. Freeman was a Syracuse transfer.
The eligibility status of Hall, a fifth-year player, is currently pending. He is among several fifth-year players involved in a lawsuit against the NCAA concerning an additional year of eligibility. The NCAA's new rule, implemented in June, allows players to compete for five seasons within a five-year span but excluded seniors from the previous year. Players in a case in Ohio secured a preliminary injunction for an extra year, but the NCAA appealed and obtained a stay on the order. A hearing for the appeal is scheduled for September 22.
Previously, Hall had been linked to other programs including Kentucky, Indiana, SMU, and Florida.
A roster spot for Hall became available after international recruit Djordije Jovanovic of Montenegro was unable to secure a student visa. Jovanovic's professional team, KK Buducnost VOLI, announced his return to the team for the upcoming year. Hall is the second fifth-year player to commit to St. John's this week, following Indiana forward Reed Bailey.