From his 6-foot-5 frame to his slender yet muscular build, Myles Stewart doesn't look like a walk-on. The Los Angeles native also doesn't act like one — and he certainly doesn't shoot like one, either.
The real question — the one St. John's fans ask after watching the freshman sink 3-point shots in key situations — is: How did Stewart go unnoticed by so many schools?
"I have no idea," DeWitt Cotton, his assistant coach at Los Angeles powerhouse Westchester High School, said in a phone interview. "We don't understand it either."
Cotton said Stewart had Division II options last spring and Division I interest, but no scholarship offers. So Cotton called St. John's coach Steve Lavin, who recruited Trevor Ariza from Westchester High while he was coach at UCLA. Cotton said Lavin was impressed with Stewart's ability during his visit, promising him a spot on the team and the opportunity eventually to earn a scholarship.
Scout.com recruiting analyst Josh Gershon said he felt Stewart was a mid-major Division I prospect. Stewart averaged 13 points and five rebounds per game last season for Westchester, but a knee injury cost him most of the postseason, limiting his exposure to college coaches at the most important time. More significantly, Cotton said, was that Stewart rarely got on the court with his AAU team, Cali Supreme.
"That's the only thing I can see," Cotton said. "He's a talented kid. He has a lot of ability."
St. John's fans are thrilled the California kid went unnoticed.
Stewart has quickly convinced Lavin he deserves a spot in the rotation, receiving key minutes in last week's loss to Gonzaga and even starting in Tuesday's win over Niagara as a reward for his impressive play and all the extra time he puts in shooting after games.
He's developing into the spot-up shooter St. John's has lacked for years, the kind of player Lavin thought he had in Max Hooper and Marco Bourgault, a player who can stretch opposing defenses and open up the lane for the Red Storm's many slashers.
"It's not only that he makes shots from distance, but the threat of Myles on the perimeter distorts defenses," Lavin said. "That creates better offensive spacing for us. He's a real threat. He helps us immensely, even if he's not scoring."
Stewart took advantage of his start against Niagara, scoring a career-high nine points. Lavin indicated he will have a role in Saturday's showdown at Syracuse against the Orange's renowned 2-3 zone, whether starting or coming off the bench.
"I wouldn't be surprised if he's on scholarship soon," senior D'Angelo Harrison said.
Lavin insisted Stewart isn't merely a specialist. At this point, his value is from beyond the 3-point arc, but Lavin said he can see him developing into much more. He even compared Stewart to former NBA player Reggie Theus while talking to Fox Sports 1 analyst Tarik Turner.
"He's long, he's athletic, he's confident," Lavin said. "He's a fluid player, very efficient, kind of like an old-school basketball player. Myles keeps it simple.
"He either shoots it or keeps the ball moving along with an occasional prudent use of the bounce."
At the moment, the Red Storm's 2014 recruiting class is a bust. Keith Thomas was ruled ineligible and left the school. Adonis DeLaRosa is waiting on the NCAA to see if he will be able to play this year. And Amar Alibegovic has yet to make an impact.
Stewart — not a recruited player — may end up salvaging the group.
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