St. John's University Athletics
Kadary Richmond Tabbed Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalist
3/12/2025 12:03:00 PM | Men's Basketball
St. John’s point guard one of 10 top defensive players recognized on Wednesday
QUEENS, N.Y. – St. John's men's basketball standout Kadary Richmond was named a Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award semifinalist, the organization announced on Wednesday.
The graduate student was one of 10 players from NCAA Division I tabbed as a semifinalist. The award winner will be unveiled ahead of the 2025 NCAA Tournament Final Four. Richmond is joined by Cooper Flagg (Duke), Hayden Gray (UC San Diego), Denver Jones (Auburn), Ryan Kalkbrenner (Creighton), Tamin Lipsey (Iowa State), Jahmai Mashack (Tennessee), Stevie Mitchell (Marquette) Joseph Tugler (Houston) and Zakai Ziegler (Tennessee).
The Brooklyn native helped lead the Red Storm's stout defensive effort all season, as St. John's ranked second in the country in defensive efficiency according to KenPom allowing just 89.2 points per 100 possessions.
The 6-foot-6 point guard has proven to be an elite on-ball defender and disruptive in passing lane during his entire collegiate career. Richmond ranks top-25 in NCAA Division I and third in the BIG EAST averaging 2.1 steals per game. The hard-nosed defender has come up with 66 takeaways this season, which is six shy of entering the top-10 for most by a St. John's player in a single-season.
In conference play, the team captain is averaging 2.5 swipes leading St. John's top-ranked scoring defense that limited league opponents to 64.9 points per game. The All-BIG EAST Second Team selection averaged 6.6 rebounds per game, which ranked tied for seventh during league play. Richmond grabbed 5.2 boards per game on the defensive end, good for fifth most in the BIG EAST during conference competition.
In his last contest for the Red Storm, Richmond finished with 10 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists in the 86-84 overtime win over then-No. 20/20 Marquette on March 8 to become the first Johnnie to post a triple-double on the stat sheet since Metta Sandiford-Artest, formerly Ron Artest, did so against Seton Hall on Jan. 9, 1999. After logging 21 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in a triple-overtime loss to then-No. 18/18 Creighton on Jan. 20, 2024 while at Seton Hall, Richmond became the first NCAA Division I player to record multiple triple-doubles against ranked opponents since 1996-97. The Brooklyn native is just the seventh high major player to log a triple double this season and the third at St. John's in the last 35 years.
Richmond and the BIG EAST Regular Season Champion Red Storm will enter the BIG EAST Tournament as the top-seed for the first time since 1986. The Johnnies will meet the winner of eighth-seeded Providence and ninth-seeded Butler on Thursday at noon on Peacock.
The graduate student was one of 10 players from NCAA Division I tabbed as a semifinalist. The award winner will be unveiled ahead of the 2025 NCAA Tournament Final Four. Richmond is joined by Cooper Flagg (Duke), Hayden Gray (UC San Diego), Denver Jones (Auburn), Ryan Kalkbrenner (Creighton), Tamin Lipsey (Iowa State), Jahmai Mashack (Tennessee), Stevie Mitchell (Marquette) Joseph Tugler (Houston) and Zakai Ziegler (Tennessee).
The Brooklyn native helped lead the Red Storm's stout defensive effort all season, as St. John's ranked second in the country in defensive efficiency according to KenPom allowing just 89.2 points per 100 possessions.
The 6-foot-6 point guard has proven to be an elite on-ball defender and disruptive in passing lane during his entire collegiate career. Richmond ranks top-25 in NCAA Division I and third in the BIG EAST averaging 2.1 steals per game. The hard-nosed defender has come up with 66 takeaways this season, which is six shy of entering the top-10 for most by a St. John's player in a single-season.
In conference play, the team captain is averaging 2.5 swipes leading St. John's top-ranked scoring defense that limited league opponents to 64.9 points per game. The All-BIG EAST Second Team selection averaged 6.6 rebounds per game, which ranked tied for seventh during league play. Richmond grabbed 5.2 boards per game on the defensive end, good for fifth most in the BIG EAST during conference competition.
In his last contest for the Red Storm, Richmond finished with 10 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists in the 86-84 overtime win over then-No. 20/20 Marquette on March 8 to become the first Johnnie to post a triple-double on the stat sheet since Metta Sandiford-Artest, formerly Ron Artest, did so against Seton Hall on Jan. 9, 1999. After logging 21 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in a triple-overtime loss to then-No. 18/18 Creighton on Jan. 20, 2024 while at Seton Hall, Richmond became the first NCAA Division I player to record multiple triple-doubles against ranked opponents since 1996-97. The Brooklyn native is just the seventh high major player to log a triple double this season and the third at St. John's in the last 35 years.
Richmond and the BIG EAST Regular Season Champion Red Storm will enter the BIG EAST Tournament as the top-seed for the first time since 1986. The Johnnies will meet the winner of eighth-seeded Providence and ninth-seeded Butler on Thursday at noon on Peacock.
Players Mentioned
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