Rysheed Jordan’s leave of absence lasted three days.
Two days after St. John’s coach Steve Lavin was unable to say whether the talented sophomore would return from his indefinite leave, Jordan isn’t just back with No. 24 St. John’s, but practiced on Monday and will play Tuesday against eighth-ranked Villanova at the Garden.
The 6-foot-4 Jordan, the team’s second-leading scorer who took leave on Friday night after his grandmother, Roslyn “Bootsie” Walker, passed away — according to the school — missed Saturday’s 73-69 loss to Butler. Lavin said after the setback Jordan wouldn’t play Tuesday against Villanova, but now he will.
The two met on Sunday, according to Lavin, who said he wanted to “show compassion” and “calibrated in the right way” for a player who has just lost a close family member. Lavin said he was unaware of the specifics other than an issue involving the family until recently.
“The focus of the meeting was to give him support and let him know we’re here for him,” Lavin said. “Naturally he’s fragile, he’s in a tough place. He’s going to be able to practice and play and go home for the funeral [on Thursday].
“We feel good where we are and we’re trying to move forward as best we can.”
Senior D’Angelo Harrison spoke to Jordan before practice on Monday and said “he knows he let us down.”
“We’re all a family and family sticks together through tough times and good times,” senior Phil Greene IV said. “We have each other’s back and it’s going to stay like that.”
Several sources told The Post that repeated disciplinary issues contributed to Jordan’s leave of absence, including a missed practice and leaving the team three times without permission. Jordan was suspended one game last season by Lavin for a violation of team rules.
Lavin, however, denied there were any issues with Jordan and the coaching staff, citing the death of his grandmother as the sole reason he left the team. When asked if Jordan was upset with coming off the bench or there were any other conflicts, Lavin laughed to himself before saying: “This is about a grandmother who passed. It’s so bizarre.”
His absence remains shrouded in mystery. When Jordan’s aunt, Niaja Kane, was killed in a double homicide last year and he missed a game, the explanation was given, not a vague indefinite leave to deal with “personal and family circumstances.”
Jordan has yet to speak to the media in his St. John’s career because Lavin believes it’s not in his best interest. He hasn’t found consistency either, averaging 14 points per game — sixth in the Big East — but also 3.3 turnovers and just 2.9 assists. Lavin brought him off the bench nine games ago after committing 16 turnovers over two games in the NIT Tip-Off Classic, and Jordan has struggled as the team’s sixth man.
Still, Jordan is needed if St. John’s (11-3) wants to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in five years. Without him, the starting five had to all play at least 34 minutes against Butler because of the Red Storm’s paper-thin roster. Lavin said he plans to bring Jordan off the bench for the time being.
“The positive is we have the rotation, the pieces in place, that led to the 11-2 start,” Lavin said. “We’re a tough matchup when we have those six players at our disposal.”
Harrison and Greene seemed genuinely happy to have Jordan back. Harrison described him as a “little brother” and is expecting a big performance Tuesday night.
“He might go off [Tuesday],” Harrison said. “It’s exciting, his hometown team. I’m sure he’s going to be fired up to play.”