Commit O’mar Stanley will fit right in with gritty St. John’s style

O’mar Stanley likes to think of himself as a “junkyard dog” on the court. The NBA player he emulates is physical Clippers forward Montrezl Harrell.

It’s no wonder St. John’s and coach Mike Anderson identified the Missouri native as a prime target. He fits the gritty style the Johnnies have adopted under Anderson.

“Energy, energy, energy,” is his mindset, the 6-foot-8, 240-pound power forward with a 7-foot-3 wingspan from Link Year Prep (Mo.) told The Post after he verbally committed to St. John’s on Tuesday afternoon, picking the Johnnies over Tulsa and UNC-Greensboro.

A three-star recruit, Stanley was also recruited by the likes of Ole Miss, Virginia Tech and Kansas State, but St. John’s made it clear to him he was its focus, speaking to him multiple times a day in recent weeks and holding three Zoom sessions with him.

“They were really prioritizing me more than any school,” he said.

Rob Cassidy, a national recruiting analyst for Rivals.com, raved about Stanley’s motor and physical prowess, while noting he remains raw offensively.

“If his scoring catches up with his rebounding and defense, he can be a pretty special player,” Cassidy said. “Immediate rebounding threat. He’s an athletic kid.”

In 10 games for Link Year Prep, Stanley is averaging 17 points and 11 rebounds per game, according to coach Adam Donyes. Donyes said his skill-set reminds him of former North Carolina star Tyler Hansbrough.

“He’s got a motor that doesn’t turn off,” Donyes said. “I don’t care if it’s in the weight room, I don’t care if it’s in the classroom, I don’t care if it’s on the court. His motor runs on high all the time.”

Stanley is the third member of Anderson’s 2021 recruiting class, joining Long Island Lutheran duo Rafael Pinzon and Drissa Traore. St. John’s would still like to add to the class, preferably with another forward, a source said.

SEE ALSO

Mike Anderson’s second St. John’s team feels very different

It wasn’t one thing that sold Stanley on the Johnnies, he said. He was drawn to the family atmosphere Anderson creates, the opportunity to play in a major market in New York City and the emphasis the program puts on player development.

“The real [factor] was just relationships. Coach Anderson is well known for building men within his program,” Stanley said. “He’s known for keeping those relationships beyond basketball.”

Stanley also seems to fit the kind of person Anderson recruits — egoless and all about team. When asked what fans can expect, he talked about character.

“I’m always going to be a great guy,” he said. “On the bench, on the floor, I’m going to be a great teammate, sacrifice whatever to help the team win.”