Rick Pitino is still looking for his first commitment, and it won’t be his best player from Iona University.
Walter Clayton Jr., the MAAC Player of the Year Pitino developed into a two-way difference-maker in two seasons, has opted not to follow his coach to Queens, he told The Post.
Clayton verbally committed to his hometown school Florida on Tuesday, picking the Gators over the Johnnies.
The 6-foot-2 guard took official visits to both schools and settled on Florida, a two-hour drive from his home in Lake Wales, Fla.
“Obviously I’ve been with Coach ‘P’ two years and [Steve Masiello] for one year. Leaving them, it’s kind of tough,” he said in a phone interview. “But, overall, I’m a feel guy. I go big off feel — it’s about what I feel. Honestly, I feel like [Florida] is the better choice. Basketball is going to be great at both schools. It just feels better at Florida. I feel like they were genuine recruiting me these past few weeks. They’ve been consistent.
“My feelings shifted over these past couple of weeks. Every time I would try to put my mind on St. John’s, my feelings shifted to Florida.”
A football player growing up, Clayton was an unheralded recruit when he committed to Iona.
He developed into one of the best mid-major guards in the country this past season, averaging 16.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists, while helping the Gaels reach the NCAA Tournament.
He led the nation in free-throw shooting at 95.3 percent and shot a robust 43.1 percent from 3-point range.
Florida’s close proximity to Clayton’s home played a role, but was not the overwhelming deciding factor, he said.
When Clayton broke the news to Pitino, the Hall of Fame coach wished him good luck.
He also informed Iona backcourt mate Daniss Jenkins, who visited St. John’s with him and is considering playing for Pitino in Queens.
“At the beginning of this process, he just told me, ‘It’s what you feel. Don’t go against what you feel,’” Clayton said of Jenkins. “I really wish we could be together next year, honestly.”
While St. John’s has yet to land a new player since Pitino took over, and currently only has three players — Joel Soriano, Drissa Traore and Mohamed Keita — who are set to return, that didn’t impact Clayton’s decision.
“St. John’s is going to get players,” he said. “I trust Coach ‘P,’ Coach Mas. It’s going to get turned around, it’s going to be great. I had no worries about that at all.”
St. John’s is involved with a number of transfers and high school recruits, namely Jenkins, Harvard forward Chris Ledlum, Notre Dame wing Cormac Ryan, Niagara guard Noah Thomasson, Virginia Military Institute sharpshooter Sean Conway and four-star guard Garwey Dual.
Dual and Conway are set to take official visits to the school over the next week.