The list of returning Red Storm players continues to shrink.
Freshman Kelvin Odih has entered the transfer portal, according to the New York Post’s Zach Braziller, becoming the sixth Red Storm player to depart the program this month, joining Joson Sanon, Dylan Darling, Sadiku Ibine Ayo, Lefteris Liotopoulos, and Imran Suljanovic.
Originally committed to West Virginia as a class of 2025 four-star recruit, Odih re-opened his recruitment following Darian DeVries’s departure from the Mountaineers and became
Rick Pitino’s only signing out of high school for the 2025-26 season.
Odih had the physical tools and defensive acumen to eventually become a factor for the Red Storm, but injuries plagued his freshman year and prevented him from locking down a rotation spot. During an August practice open to the media, Odih sprained his ankle midway through the second half of a scrimmage, cutting short his standout performance, and then a pectoral injury forced him out of action in October. Later in the season, he also missed time with soreness in his right leg.
Making sporadic appearances in his freshman year, Odih averaged 1.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, and shot 46.7% while logging 5.6 minutes per game across ten contests. His best outing came in his college basketball debut, when he recorded a season-high five points and five rebounds in nine minutes against Quinnipiac.
St. John’s is now down to four players coming back for the 2026-27 season. Shooting guard Ian Jackson and forward Ruben Prey are the only two returners who played on a nightly basis.
The Red Storm will need to fill eleven spots on next year’s roster, and they’re hoping the signing of Quinn Ellis is the start of a massive week on the recruiting front. Transfers Mouhamed Dioubate from Kentucky, Abdi Bashir from Kansas State, DeSean Goode from Robert Morris, and Leroy Blyden from Toledo have already made visits to campus this week. Rick Pitino and his staff are also in the process of scheduling visits for Utah’s Kendyl Sanders, Arizona State’s Mor Massamba Diop, and Seton Hall’s Najai Hines.
