Auburn’s Mustapha Heron transfers to St. John’s

The St. John’s Red Storm have had a pretty good week. The Johnnies learned that star point guard Shamorie Ponds will be returning to the program for the 2018-19 season after flirting with the NBA Draft. Then, on Thursday, they got even more good news. Auburn Tigers star Mustapha Heron is set to transfer to the Red Storm.

Several CBB reporters, including Jon Rothstein, Evan Daniels and the NY Post’s Zach Braziller reported the news of Heron’s transfer on Thursday, right around the same time.

This is a ginormous get for head coach Chris Mullin and the Red Storm program. Heron has been a star for the Auburn Tigers the past two seasons he’s suited up in orange and blue. He has averaged 15.8 points and 5.7 rebounds per game in his career with a mark of 44.0 percent from the field, 37.2 percent from the 3-point line and 78.6 percent from the free throw line. Additionally, the 6-foot-5 guard averaged a career-best 16.4 points per game in the 2017-18 season.

Heron will be seeking a hardship waiver, which is part of why he is transferring in the first place. Gary Parrish of CBS Sports noted earlier this week that Heron’s mother fell ill recently and that he wanted to be closer to her, as they live in West Haven, Connecticut. Whether or not he will be able to land that waiver is yet to be seen, but there is a good shot that it happens.

Assuming that it does and that Mustapha Heron is eligible to play this coming season, the Johnnies will boast a pretty talented squad. Heron will join Ponds as well as Justin Simon and Marvin Clark II for a quartet that will be as good as they come in a Big East Conference that will be in serious transition this season.

Fellow former SEC player and former South Carolina Gamecocks forward Sedee Keita will also be in the mix down low, but the backcourt for the Johnnies certainly got better with regards to this transfer. Especially when you also consider they will be getting the services of former Quinnipiac Bobcats guard Mikey Dixon, too.