| | By Andy Katz
ESPN.com
JAMAICA, N.Y. -- Come on, this is New York. Settling for a rebuilding year is not acceptable. Banking on a high-profile point guard from the City taking his time to develop is unthinkable.
Not here. Not at St. John's.
|  | | Omar Cook, a McDonalds High School All-American last year, comes in as Erick Barkley's replacement at point guard this season.
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Omar Cook has arrived to take over for Erick Barkley, a fellow alum of Christ the King, who declared for the NBA draft after his sophomore season. And, to some extent, he's expected to somehow replace the scoring and leadership of Lavor Postell and Bootsy Thornton, too.
Like Barkley, Cook is a winner. He's got the power dribble. He has the playmaker game that is a given with New York City point guards.
"There's a lot of pressure on me, coming from New York, and being a so-called big name," said Cook during a teleconference with the media Thursday. "Everybody expects me and the team to do so well.
"I thought I would have a chance to play with Erick. I thought he would stay and help me out so there wouldn't be so much pressure on me."
Think again. But, Cook may be the type of player who can handle the spotlight.
Cook can take his man to the basket. He can defend. He's got the vision. And he's got the moxie needed to pick up where Barkley left off, which is defending a Big East title and taking the Red Storm back to the NCAA Tournament.
But reality has to hit Cook and the Red Storm first. They're not the favorite to defend their title, largely because this team is leaning on at least five newcomers to play critical roles this season.
"It's very much a new look," Jarvis said during ESPN.com's preseason tour Friday. "It's a new start for us. We've got two guys that were mainstays and continue to be mainstays and everything else is new."
The difference between Barkley and Cook is this: Cook looks to pass first, Barkley didn't. Cook is more of a true point, whereas Barkley can be a combo guard, playing as much shooting guard. Physically, the 6-foot-1 Cook is stronger and not as wiry. Cook said his body is better for contact than Barkley's.
While Barkley had the experience over Cook, after spending a fifth year in high school when he finished his diploma at Maine Central Institute, Cook might be better suited to get the Red Storm's big men involved.
For the first time in three years under Jarvis, the new-look Red Storm actually have a few true centers. But they're not ready for viewing yet. St. John's has three choices to go big in 6-10 freshman Mohammed Diakite, 6-11 sophomore Abe Keita and 7-3 Curtis Johnson. But the St. John's team on display at the Coaches vs. Cancer tournament Nov. 9-10 in New York will probably still look undersized with 6-6 Anthony Glover, 6-8 Donald Emanuel and 6-7 Reggie Jessie inside.
"The one thing this team can do is get bigger, but that doesn't mean we will," Jarvis said. "We'll play who's playing well, so we could be small a lot. It depends on how the big guys come along. We should score more inside if we're bigger because we can be quicker for offensive rebounds."
Jessie said he finally feels like the Red Storm has players at the right positions. The mood on the team is subbing Cook for Barkley is an even trade.
"We've always had a dominant point guards since I've been here and Omar has the same traits," Jessie said. "We went from a veteran team to a young team that knows how to play. I like the pressure this year and the pressure is still on. People don't want to see us be an NIT team. The pressure is on us to repeat and be one of the best teams."
To do that the Red Storm will need a breakthrough year from shooting guard Alpha Bangura, a transfer from Monmouth. Another gritty season from Jessie, Glover and Emanuel will be a must, too. Glover said Cook has been trying to do too much in practice, but that's only because he's anxious to play his first game.
His first game is against Kentucky.
"That's what you play basketball for, for the challenge and the competition," Cook said. "We could have an easier game, but they're putting our team on the spot right in the first two games. This is what I wanted my whole life, to step on the court on national television in front of a big crowd, with everybody watching."
Those tuning in to see the new-look Red Storm should get used to their names. St. John's has only one scholarship available for next season.
St. John's was besieged throughout last season because of the NCAA's scrutiny on Barkley. It didn't end in the offseason when signee Darius Miles declared for the draft. In that same month of June, Jarvis was wooed by the Washington Wizards but eventually turned them down.
It's a new era at St. John's with a few familiar faces and just as much attention.
"It would be nice if we didn't have all that hoopla that followed us last year," Emanuel said. "But in this city, and in this program with these type of players, there's always going to be something. The NCAA will always find something. I'm glad it's over for Erick. I hope it is. Maybe it's not."
One thing is certain. The Barkley, Postell and Thornton era is over. So, too, may be the Red Storm's one-year lock on the Big East title.
Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.
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