Another day, another commit, as Rick Pitino and St. John’s landed European sharpshooter Imran Suljanovic, the team announced.
“I was watching Imran on film and had to see him in person,” Pitino said. “I traveled outside Bologna, where he impressed me more with his overall game than what I watched on film. He shoots, passes, handles, and is extremely agile. [Imran has] great potential. We are very excited to have him join the Johnnies.”
Pitino continues to add shooters, as the 6-foot-8 wing from Austria decided to come to Jamaica, Queens, instead of many others. Xavier, Ohio State, and Cincinnati were all in the mix.
The 18-year-old averaged 22.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game last summer at the 2024 FIBA EuroBasket Division B Tournament. Suljanovic was named the “Best Standout” of the event, as the second-leading scorer, catching the eyes of the top college basketball programs in America.
Suljanovic then led an Austrian team that won a silver medal in Division A. In February, he joined the Austrian National team and became the youngest player to accomplish this feat.
He played this past season in Italy, a part of the Unahotels Reggio Emilia in the Italian Serie A League on the 19-and-under roster. He then led them to the Italian National Finals.
“College has always been an option for me, and I was just waiting on the right place and the right opportunity,” Suljanovic said in a phone interview with Zach Braziller of the New York Post. “So when I heard about St. John’s, I mean, of course, when Rick Pitino calls you, it’s hard to say no. Also, they have a great fan base. It’s everybody’s dream to play in front of so many fans, especially in New York, which is a bonus.”
Pitino has now added his fourth three-point shooter of the Spring, as Suljanovic joins North Carolina’s Ian, Arizona State’s Joson Sanon, and Stanford’s Olizjah Sellers. Bryce Hopkins, the forward from Providence, joins these four as the new-look Red Storm look to be shifting to a new brand of basketball.
On X, Pitino came out and named Jackson the team’s starting point guard – even though it’s only April.
“We had Big shoes to fill at the point. Kadary and Deivon were awesome. The ball is now in the hands of our next great point. Let’s Go Ian!!!” Pitino wrote.
As of Wednesday, the Johnnies are still in the mix for Cincinnati product Dillon Mitchell. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 9.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game last season.
