Iona lands former New York 'Mr. Basketball'

• Jon Severe, a 6-foot-2 guard from Brooklyn, will transfer to Iona from Fordham.
• Severe is a former New York state 'Mr. Basketball' who played for Christ the King.
• Severe's commitment will leave Iona with two open scholarships for the 2016-17 season.

In 2013, Jon Severe was one of the most coveted recruits in New York, a natural scorer chased by schools across the country. The state's "Mr. Basketball'' bypassed that interest and stayed close to home, but his up-and-down tenure at Fordham ended last week.

The 6-foot-2 guard from Brooklyn will have one final opportunity to live up to the hype, this time at Iona. Severe committed to Iona Wednesday with one final season of eligibility remaining.

Severe is currently on pace to graduate in three years. If he completes his degree, it would make him immediately eligible for 2016-17 as a graduate transfer.

Severe is at least the fourth commit set join Tim Cluess and the Gaels as they prepare to reload. They will face the departures of four key seniors from an NCAA Tournament team, including star A.J. English.

Related: Final two minutes cost Iona any chance at NCAA upset

Severe will join signees E.J. Crawford and Kai Mitchell — prep teammates at St. Thomas More — and Jan Svandrlik, a junior college player from Indian Hills Community College. That will leave Iona with two available scholarships. The program has also received an oral commitment from Brentwood High School swingman Jamel Allen, although Allen has yet to secure his eligibility. Iona will also host at least two additional players on visits in April: UConn transfer Sam Cassell Jr. and Indian Hills point guard Kevin Zabo, who played at San Diego State as a freshman.

I just want to announce that I will be transferring schools next year. Despite this choice, Fordham will always be my home. #rams

— Jon Severe (@Jsevere23) March 22, 2016

Severe, who announced on March 22 that he would transfer, stands to make an immediate impact for the Gaels in Cluess' uptempo system despite three uneven years at Fordham.

As a freshman, the former Christ the King star flashed his potential, averaging 17.3 ppg to earn Atlantic 10 all-rookie honors and the Met Basketball Writers' Rookie of the Year. However, he played heavy minutes and shot just 33.1 percent from the field on a 10-win team.

Severe's production and his playing time dipped considerably the last two seasons, which included a midseason leave of absence as a sophomore. He then played 30 of 31 games as a junior and averaged 17.4 minutes per contest.

Severe scored just 7.6 ppg this season, but his shooting numbers improved. He shot .435 from the field and .361 from beyond the 3-point line.

Severe, who weighed offers from Wake Forest, Pitt and Rutgers out of high school, will be asked to retain his shooting touch in an expanded role. The Gaels lost two of their top three scorers (English and Isaiah Williams) and two other players from the top six of their rotation (Ibn Muhammad and Aaron Rountree). Their only returning guards with experience will be Rickey McGill and Jahaad Proctor, who will be sophomores, and swingman Deyshonne Much, a junior.

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