RJ Luis Jr. is first Latino Big East Player of the Year
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Staff Reports, Staff reports
- March 13, 2025
St. John's star RJ Luis Jr. persevered
It had been 39 years since a St. John’s star was picked as the Big East Player of the Year, so RJ Luis Jr. didn’t enter the season expecting to claim the award. Especially after undergoing surgery on both shins last year, Luis had reason to keep modest expectations.
Yet, the junior from Miami put in the work in rehab, on the court and throughout the Big East schedule. He was named Big East Player of the Year. RJ Luis Jr. highlights an impressive season for Latinos in men’s college basketball.
Luis has roots in the Dominican Republic and Ecuador. He is believed to be the first Latino to win the Big East Men’s Basketball Player of the Year Award. He’s also the first St. John’s player to win the award since Walter Berry in 1986.
RJ Luis Jr. ends drought
With Chris Mullins from 1983-1984 through 1984-1985 sharing the award with Georgetown’s Patrick Ewing, a St. John’s player won the award in three consecutive years until the 29-year drought.
Luis concedes that he would be lying if he claimed early in the season that he would be the Big East Player of the Year.
“My main focus was just trying to get back to myself, trying to be healthy,” he told the New York Post. “It just shows that with determination and success, you can get anything done. I have to give the credit to my teammates. Without them I wouldn’t be considered for this award, because of how good of a season we’ve had as a whole.”
Luis is averaging 18.1 points per game this season. He scored a game-high 20 points to lead St. John’s to a 78-57 victory over Butler on Thursday to advance to the Big East Tournament semifinals.
Chad Baker-Mazara makes impact at Auburn
It has been a strong year for Latinos in college basketball. RJ Luis led St. John’s to the Big East regular season title. Auburn’s Chad Baker-Mazara, a native of the Dominican Republic, helped keep the Tigers No. 1 in the polls most of the season. Baker-Mazara was named to the All-SEC Third Team.
Luis and Baker-Mazara were both named finalists for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award.
University of Alabama – Birmingham star Yaxel Lendeborg was the American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He is also a finalist for the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award.
Baylor power forward Norchad Omier, a native of Nicaragua, was named to the All Big 12 First Team. The graduate transfer was also named to the Big 12’s All-Newcomer Team.
Utah State senior guard Ian Martinez was named to the All Mountain West First Team. Boise State senior guard Alvaro Cardenas was named to the All Mountain West’s Second Team.
Cover art courtesy St. John’s Men’s Basketball.
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