← The Stephen A. Smith Show
The Stephen A. Smith Show
Interview Only: NBA bound RJ Luis Jr is proud of his 4.0 GPA and business mindset.
00:15:08
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- [00:00]
A
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- [00:35]
B
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- [01:08]
A
My next guest is a now former star for St. John's University. He recently entered the transfer portal and declared for the 2025 NBA Draft. If he remains in college, the Big east player of the year is expected to make at least $1.5 million in nil earnings next season. So joining me now to discuss his future, none other than the now former staff of St. John's himself, R.J. louise Jr. What's going on big time? How are you, man? How's everything?
- [01:37]
B
What's going on? Good afternoon.
- [01:39]
A
Good afternoon. It's good to see you. It's good to finally meet you. You got a lot of friends that are friends of mine. They've been telling me to meet you for quite some time. Congratulations on a great year that you've had. I have to admit, and start off with this, I'm still pissed off at Coach Pitino. I did not like the fact that you were, you, you were on the bench for the Damn near last 5 minutes of that NCAA tournament game against Arkansas. I want to know that in, in now that you've had time to reflect on it, how are you feeling about what transpired and where's your head at right now?
- [02:13]
B
I mean, obviously, you know, during the game kind of hurt, you know, just not, not being able to, you know, be on the court with my, with my team for the last five minutes to, you know, be able to win the game. But I mean, you know, coach, coach made a decision that he felt was best and, you know, I have to have to respect that.
- [02:30]
A
My attitude, and I think the attitude of most sports fans is that you, you use what brought you there. I mean, 18.2 points a game, 44% shooting throughout the 2025 season. Big east player of the year, Big east tournament most outstanding player, consistent. Second team all American. All right. And St. John's won the Biggies outright in a regular season for the first time since 1985, at the big east tournament for the first time since 2000. Even though you were struggling that game, what was your attitude? Did you feel like, listen, I can. I can get through this, even though I'm struggling this afternoon. What were you thinking at the time?
- [03:08]
B
I mean, I definitely was a. It was a. It was an off day. It was a rough day. Probably wasn't my best game of the year, but, I mean, I just feel like, you know, there's still five minutes left in the game. Think anything could have happened. When I came out the game, I shot the two free throws and I cut it down to one possession. So, I mean, I was thinking, hopefully, you know, I hit those two free throws, I was going to be able to, you know, calm down a little bit. But, I mean, I think anything could have happened in the last five minutes of the game.
- [03:33]
A
You know, I wanted to ask you, before I show you a quote, I want to know what your teammate said to you at that time when it was going on. What were they saying to you, or what did they say to you? In the immediate aftermath of the game.
- [03:43]
B
It was kind of just letting, like, everything else soak in, you know, just the season we had, you know, 31, 31 4, 31 5, since we lost that game. But everybody was just kind of just, you know, kind of sad, just trying to just, you know, just take it in. And they didn't really understand what was going on. You know, myself was lost for words. So it's kind of the first couple minutes in the locker room was very silent, and then, you know, then it. It hit us, and, you know, a couple of the guys was crying. Some of the seniors was very upset just because we weren't able to keep on dancing. But, I mean, after that, we just hugged it out. We'd even talk about, as far as individual performances. We just gave each other a hug. We congratulated each other on a great season, and it just sucked to go out that way.
- [04:27]
A
Coach Rick Pitino, when asked about it after the game, wouldn't elaborate on his decision making and why he had made that decision. People like myself and various other pundits, we were calling them out, like, what the hell are you doing? That's not what you do. But nevertheless, he decided to Speak on this recently, within the last 48 hours or so. And I wanted to see. I wanted to show you this quote and I wanted to get your reaction in real time to what the coach had to say about his decision. Quote, it was the right move, talking about benching you. It was the right move because of where he was mentally. He was forcing shots, and it was affecting the rest of his game. Luis was not only getting down about his game, he wasn't playing the defense we needed. He wasn't playing the transition defense we needed. He wasn't blocking out all the missed shots and the forced shots were affecting him. He just recently gave those quotes to Vice tv. What is your reaction to what your coach said?
- [05:23]
B
I mean, I'm just hurt. You know, obviously, like I said, it wasn't. Wasn't my best performance, but I think it's could, you know, could have did a better job, you know, picking my head up and, you know, you know, just. Just doing a. A better job, you know, coaching me up, like how he's done the whole year. And it just. It just sucks. It hurts that, you know, obviously the way I played and the way we went out in the tournament, you know, I'm gonna take that with me. I mean, forever. You know, that's my first time participating in the March Madness. But, I mean, definitely just. Just hurt. It's one of those, you know, you can only control what you can control. And I mean, like I said, you know, coachino made a decision which he thought was best for the team, and I have to respect that.
- [06:05]
A
Is that why you're leaving St. John's is there another reason?
- [06:09]
B
That's not the reason. I mean, I feel like this season I had. I feel like my. My stock won't be any higher than it is. And I mean, thanks to my coaches and my teammates, you know, they've been able to, you know, put me in a position to, you know, take the next step in my journey, and obviously, that's to play in the NBA. So that's really, really. My decision is to, you know, just go on and, you know, start the draft process and to see what. What God has in store for me for. At the next level.
- [06:36]
A
I understand that the draft process is the draft process, but is it possible that you could potentially end up transferring to another college or are you all in on entering this NBA draft and that's what you anticipate you will do?
- [06:51]
B
I mean, I'm all in, but I mean, worst case scenario, always got to have a backup plan. So obviously that's why I entered the transit portal. But I mean I'm fully focused and I'm fully focused on the drafts.
- [07:02]
A
What kind of game do you believe you bring to the table? Not just for another college team potentially, but for an NBA team? Describe your game and what you believe you bring to the table.
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B
I'm a two way player, very versatile. I could guard multiple positions, I feel like I could defend at a high level and I've, I've improved that. I can score the ball at all three levels and I'm improving my jump shot, my three point shooting which is very big in the NBA, NBA game. So I mean, I mean as far as what I've done like the last 10 games, I think I've shot like 50%, not messing the last game, but I mean I think I bring a lot, I have a lot of potential, like you know, my Persona, my person, you know, my character. Very hard working, very determined. I've earned everything that I've been given and I mean I'm just keep on improving. You know, I'm a late bloomer, like you'll say, you know, was very under recruited coming out of high school, had to go to prep school and you know, I just been working, you know, for moments like these, for these opportunities and you know, I'm gonna just keep on putting the work into, you know, better my craft and I, I would, I feel like, you know, NBA team's gonna get a, a great kid, a very humble kid, a very hard working kid and a kid that wants to compete and you know, just win at the highest level.
- [08:23]
A
Well, I'm talking to the reigning Big east player of the year and a consistent second team All American. So we know you can ball. When you think about what you have to do, how far you've come and how you've worked up to this point, are you of the mindset that, you know what, you're definitely and definitively ready now and it would be best for you to be in the NBA now, or is there a possibility that you might decide it might be better for you to wait and go back to school for an additional year before going pro? What's the whole mindset that you're dealing with right now?
- [08:57]
B
Mindset? I feel good. You know, I'm healthy first and foremost, you know, coming off a double shin surgery. So you know, I just give, give the glory to God, you know, for allowing me to, you know, play the sport that I love so much. You know, just obviously just being healthy, that's really the main, the main Thing I took out of this whole year, and obviously, you know, the performance I had individually as far as collectively with my team, I think we did something extraordinary this season that St. John's hasn't seen in, you know, over 40 years. So it just feels great. And definitely, I feel like I'm ready. I feel like me going back to school would probably be, like, a burden, you know, just because, you know, I've accomplished so much. And as far as, like, accolades and, you know, just winning, I feel like it would just. It would just be hard to, you know, kind of replicate that and. And match that next year. If I were to go back to.
- [09:42]
A
College, knowing that's still a possibility. At the slight chance that you remain in college, what programs are you looking to transfer to or what kind of system do you think best works for your skill set?
- [09:56]
B
I mean, like I said, fully focused on the draft right now. There's definitely. Every school in the country has been reaching out to my agency with ROC Nation, But I'm really not even paying no mind to that right now. You know, obviously, like I said, enter the transfer portal as a backup plan. And I'm just fully focused on the draft right now. And if it comes to that, you know, we'll circle back and go back to that, because, you know, we left that opportunity open. But definitely, just eye on the prize. It's just the NBA right now.
- [10:26]
A
When you talk to NBA scouts, this is something I would know about. Even though your crew, you know, OG Juan and the rest of the crew looking out for you the way that they. That I know they will, because they know everybody. When you think about what you've accomplished in your life, not just your career, knowing NBA personnel the way that I do, they ain't gonna just add. They think they've got your game down pat. They know what you can bring and what potential you may have, et cetera. But you, the person, when they sit down and they ask you about you and what you will bring to a locker room, what you will bring to a franchise, an organization, what is it that you like all of these NBA teams to know about you?
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B
I mean, like I said, a humble kid, you know, a hard worker, a competitor. And I'm just really just, you know, just. I'm somebody that knows how to deal with adversity, you know, being overlooked. I kind of have a chip on my shoulder, so really just, you know, just going in there determined, and I mean, just knowing that, you know, all the hard work that I put has. Has led me here, you know, I'm gonna keep on doing that and I mean that's really it just, you know, bringing in the energy and do, doing the little things that, you know, that, that they need me to do. And obviously, you know, as I, hopefully as I get there, you know, I'll develop, develop my game and you know, just keep on improving as a player and as a person.
- [11:43]
A
Anyone in particular you modeled your game after or you'd like to model your game after?
- [11:50]
B
Nobody in particular. You know, obviously, you know, there's, there's people I, I look at, you know, they have the same, same body type. I like, I like Jason Tatum, I like Devin Booker, I like Shay Gildis Alexander. You know, just those big guards that are, you know, not able just to curate for themselves but to create for others. And I think that's something that I wasn't able to, to demonstrate a whole lot. I think I'm a way better playmaker. And you know, what, what I've done in college, you know, just the floor spacing is very compact, is a lot of guys is in the, in the gaps and stuff like that. So I think, you know, just playing in the NBA and just playing on a more spaced out, more spaced out system will allow me to, you know, just showcase my playmaking abilities more.
- [12:38]
A
Talk about the experience for the NCAA tournament and what you believe is necessary in order to succeed well enough to win a national championship. Just going through what you've been through.
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B
I mean, I wish I could tell you, I mean, I think I got a little taste of it. It's kind of hard to really tell you what, what really takes into that, you know, just because I would haven't, haven't been a part of that culture. But I mean, hopefully I've been part of, you know, building that, that little culture at St. John's and you know, trying to get that program going. But I mean, those are, those are great programs, great coaches, and I mean it takes a lot, you know, as far as, you know, the transit portal and stuff like that. You know, it's hard to, to build that type of chemistry. So, you know, just, just gotta, you know, go, go where you're able to, to build as a, as a person, as a player. And obviously, you know, you got to play with a, a coaching staff that believes in you and I mean, obviously you gotta, you gotta put the work in. Nothing's given. And I think all those teams earned the right to play in the Final Four.
- [13:35]
A
I know you transferred from UMass after one year to go to St. John's the last two years. And obviously being at St. John's did a lot for you, your career, your future, et cetera, to close out. Is there anything you'd like to say to somebody like a Rick Pitino before.
- [13:49]
B
We depart to tell them? No, I just tell them thank you for the opportunity. You know, obviously without him, I wouldn't be able to play at St. John's and, you know, obviously get a. Get a good education. I mean, some people may not know, but I'm actually a 4.0 student. Oh. So I take. I take. Take academics pretty seriously as far as, you know, basketball. And I mean, that's it. I just really just, Just thank him for the opportunity. Just knowing, you know, he took a chance on a kid from Miami and he believed in me to, you know, to come into the Big east and, and to perform. And, you know, he's. He's allowed me to showcase my abilities at the high. At the highest level in one of the best conferences in the country.
- [14:26]
A
You said you're a 4.0 student. What's your major, man?
- [14:29]
B
Sports management.
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A
Okay. All right. So, I mean, what are you trying to do? Be an agent? Own your own agency? I mean, be a future president of basketball operations, a gm? What's the ultimate goal down the line?
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B
I mean, if you sit here, my hoodie right here. Me and my dad got our own. Own academy, really. Just trying to, you know, just help kids from third world countries and really just, you know, expand that platform and try to introduce, you know, not only basketball, but multiple sports and, you know, just give them the opportunity to come over here. And, you know, it's not all about, you know, finding the next professional, but just give them a chance to, you know, succeed in the future and give them a better, better lifestyle.
- [15:08]
A
You talked about people from, you know, from third world countries, other spots, obviously. Any, Any particular areas you're targeting?
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B
I mean, mainly I got the flag right here. So we're always trying to represent, you know, the Dominican community.
- [15:20]
A
Right.
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B
As far as Ecuadorian community. Just. Just big on the Latin community. And, you know, it's just been. That's also. It's been a great blessing, you know, to play in New York, the Mecca basketball.
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A
Yeah.
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B
Where, you know, Dominicans over back home, they say, you know, they think New York is a state for the United States. So, I mean, I think it's just great, you know, to put on and just get all that recognition and love and, you know, just to be a proud Hispanic kid that's, you know, put it on for those, those third world countries and it's just truly a blessing and I'm just trying to, you know, just, just embrace the journey and do the best that I can to give back.
- [15:52]
A
Keep doing your thing, man. Really, really proud of you. Proud of the year that you had, man. No matter how it ended, you still had a great, great year. All the best to you in the future moving forward. I know you're going to do big things. My man, R.J. luis Jr. Appreciate you, man. Thank you so much.
- [16:06]
B
Appreciate it. Thank you. God bless.
- [16:07]
A
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