St. John's Red Storm top 2017 recruit Zach Brown arrested again
Jan 4, 2017; Queens, NY, USA; St. John's Red Storm head coach Chris Mullin looks on during the first half against the Creighton Bluejays at Carnesecca Arena. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

St. John’s Red Storm 2018 commit Zach Brown‘s latest run-in with the law could put him in danger of playing on the Queens campus.

It’s been a tough stretch, once again, for the St. John’s men’s basketball squad.

After producing a nice run at the end of 2016 by blowing out Syracuse by 33 points on the road, beating then No.13 ranked Butler to start Big East play, and then finishing the year with a three-game winning streak, the start of 2017 brought hard times again for the Red Storm both on and off the court.

They lost their first three games of this year (all Big East games) by double digits, including getting blown out by more than 20 in the last two against Xavier and Georgetown.

Off the court, their top 2017 recruit in center Zach Brown was arrested for petty theft on Sunday.

It wasn’t the first time this 7-foot center who committed to St. John’s this past fall got in legal trouble. He was also arrested on robbery charges last spring. He also attended multiple high schools and had to leave one of them because of an on-court fight.

This is bad for both Brown and St. John’s as well. Brown is a talented player who could fill in and provide an impact to the depleted St. John’s frontcourt, but his off-court troubles could prohibit him from playing for the Queens campus or any other big name school.

St. John’s did know of his troubles before recruiting, but can they be blamed for still going after him?

Chris Mullin feels he can change Brown’s personal life as he coaches him. If Brown is not available next season, St. John’s will be more desperate for frontcourt help — especially after Yankuba Sima transferred early this season. St. John’s has also been looking at forward Derrick Walker from Sunrise Christian Academy in Kansas, who could also provide some inside presence.

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