Former North Carolina signee Simeon Wilcher, who requested his release from the Tar Heels program earlier in June, committed to St. John's on Monday, giving new coach Rick Pitino his highest-ranked signee for the 2023 class. Wilcher is the No. 46 overall prospect and a four-star recruit in the 2023 recruiting cycle, according to 247Sports, and picked the Red Storm over Nebraska, Auburn, Connecticut, Iowa, UCLA, Oregon and Kansas, among others.
Wilcher will be the 12th addition to St. John's roster since Pitino was hired away from Iona earlier this offseason. New additions to the Red Sortm's roster via the transfer portal include Sadie Ayo, RJ Luis, Zuby Ejiofor, Jordan Dingle, Glenn Taylor Jr., Quinn Slazinski, Cruz Davis, Nahiem Alleyne and Daniss Jenkins.
Yaxel Lendeborg and Brady Dunlap join Wilcher as St. John's signees from the 2023 recruiting cycle. The 6-foot-4 guard attended high school at Roselle Catholic in Roselle, New Jersey, and will stay close to home by attending St. John's.
Wilcher's decision to get out of his NLI with the Tar Heels wasn't viewed as a major surprise after one of the top players in the 2024 class, Elliot Cadeau, reclassified to play this season. UNC G RJ Davis also announced he would return to Chapel Hill for another season, which crowded the chances of Wilcher receiving a large role as true freshman.
