CHICAGO — After a long, winding road, Marcus LoVett is back where he believes he belongs: on the basketball court creating highlight-real plays.
The St. John's redshirt freshman point guard is having a standout rookie season, averaging 16.1 points for the 7-7 Red Storm, who face DePaul at Allstate Arena on New Year's Day.
It's LoVett's first game action in the Chicago area since an electric senior campaign at Morgan Park High School, where he was known as "Bright Lights" and averaged 25 points, 8 assists and 7 rebounds per game while leading the Mustangs to a third-place finish in the Illinois High School Association state tournament.
"It's a good feeling to be back out there on the floor, to be playing for the fans and the school," LoVett told DNAinfo on Friday as the Red Storm prepared to travel to Chicago.
LoVett spent only one year in Chicago, graduating from Morgan Park High School after a dominating senior season, but the city left its mark.
"Playing in Chicago, you can't be mentally weak at all, whatsoever," LoVett said. "It's real tough playing there."
Morgan Park coach Nick Irvin said he's not surprised LoVett's game has transferred to the college level.
"'Bright Lights' is having a great year, and I'm proud of him," Irvin said. "I always knew once he hits the college floor, he will be great. He is a one-of-a-kind point guard that has a mentality to destroy his opponent. I love to watch him play."
Morgan Park was the last of three high schools in LoVett's prep career. In a much-publicized case, he was ruled academically ineligible by the NCAA at St. John's last season and could only practice with teammates.
"The toughest part was not being able to play with my teammates and having to just sit and watch during games," LoVett said. "But I got through that. I waited patiently and saw where I could help out.
"I wouldn't have changed a thing," LoVett added. "The way the route I went happened for a reason. All this makes me who I am. I wouldn't take any of it back."
While focused almost exclusively on academics and basketball, LoVett said he has kept track of the violence and shootings plaguing Chicago throughout 2016. LoVett said he hopes his on-court performances can be a positive thing for the city's kids to aspire to.
"There's something going on in Chicago every day; it's just kind of normal in Chicago," he said. "I just try to be as big an example as possible to the ones that look up to me over there. I try to keep being that good person and be that person to look up to."
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