Legendary St. John’s Men’s Basketball player Wayne McKoy died at the age of 68 on Tuesday, Aug. 18.
Photo credit: St. John’s Athletics
Former St. John’s University star basketball player Wayne McKoy died at the age of 68 on Tuesday, Aug. 18.
McKoy, who played for the team under legendary coach Lou Carnesecca from 1977 to 1981, ranks 13th all-time in team history with 1,536 points, 10th in rebounds with 824, 5th in blocked shots with 164 and 7th in field goals with 654.
After graduating from Long Island Lutheran High School, where he was named a McDonald’s All-American, the 6’9 center joined St. John’s as one of the most highly touted recruits in the basketball program’s history. He would go on to become a two-time All-BIG EAST selection.
McKoy averaged 6 rebounds and 9.5 points with a 49.8 shooting percentage per game across 28 games during his freshman year before breaking out with career-bests of 14.9 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game in 32 games as a sophomore. He helped lead the team to the NCAA Tournament that season as a 10th seed, where they upset 2nd seed Duke, 80-78, on March 11, 1979. The team made it to the Elite Eight in the tournament. McKoy put up 18 points in that upset and averaged 16.3 points per game in the tournament, in which he was named to the NCAA Tournament All-Region Team.
As a junior during the 1979-1980 season, McKoy averaged 13.9 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game as the team went 24-5 and won the inaugural BIG EAST regular-season title. His contributions to the basketball team’s success earned him a spot on the All-BIG EAST Second Team.
In his final season at St. John’s, McKoy averaged 13.9 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game and was named to the All-BIG EAST Third Team.
After wrapping up his collegiate basketball career, McKoy was drafted 63rd overall in the third round of the 1981 draft by the New York Knicks. While he did not appear in the NBA, he went on to play three seasons in Spain.
McKoy’s family was very important to him. His daughter, Shanna Soares, said he was very gentle.
“He was always giving advice. He was encouraging [others] to speak your mind and go for what you want,” Soares said. “He was always very happy to chat with my mother [Suretta Wooten] too. He was always talking about the next adventure they were going on and the next cruise. He was very adventurous when it came to traveling.”
Soares said she loved it when her father took her and her brother to the park to play basketball when they were children. McKoy taught Soares a lot of different moves, as well as strategy about the game during these sessions. She applied much of this knowledge when she played through junior high school.
“[McKoy] was even teaching his own grandson a couple moves here and there when he was born,” Soares said.
Seeing so many people paying tribute to McKoy, from the St. John’s community to fans and friends from his time in Spain and elsewhere, has been very touching for Soares.
“It’s very overwhelming. I didn’t realize how many people he touched in his life,” Soares said. “It makes me feel good to know that he wasn’t just loved by his family, but by many people around the world. He would travel to Belize with my mother. A lot of people from Belize have been reaching out, offering their condolences, how much they loved to see him every couple of months when he traveled down there.”
