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St. Joe’s player Chris Arizin Jr. continues basketball family legacy

From the basketball star who retired rather than leave Philadelphia, to the grandson who went from St. Joseph's Prep to St. Joseph's University, the Arizin name has a long legacy in the area.

St. Joseph's University guard Chris Arizin Jr. in action.
St. Joseph's University guard Chris Arizin Jr. in action.Read moreCourtesty SJU Athletics

The last name “Arizin” is recognizable to many basketball fans in the Philadelphia area.

Paul Arizin, who was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1978, played at Villanova and then 12 years for the Philadelphia Warriors from 1950-62. Last October, he was named to the NBA “75th Anniversary Team,” side by side with the league’s greatest players.

One of Arizin’s sons, Michael, played for William & Mary and then La Salle in the 1970s. Another son, Chris, played for Drexel in the 1980s.

Nowadays, Chris’ son, Chris Arizin Jr., is a sophomore walk-on guard for St. Joseph’s.

“Oh, yeah, [being recognized for my last name] happens pretty often, especially in Philly,” Arizin said.

Raised in a basketball family, Arizin was constantly surrounded by friendly competition between siblings — his sister runs track at Georgetown — and cousins. At St. Joe’s, he doesn’t see much game action, (he appeared in two games this season) but still carries on a monumental basketball legacy and a desire to make his teammates better every day, in every practice.

Arizin “is a legitimate college basketball player,” St. Joe’s coach Billy Lange said, adding that Arizin could have played significant minutes for him at every stop of his coaching journey, across all levels of basketball. “What he brings us is a guy that can compete against our guys.”

Paul Arizin died in 2006 when Chris Jr. was young. Growing up, Arizin attributes his basketball development to his father, adding that the way his father played “carried over” from his grandfather’s style.

“From [my father’s] game, he taught me to play hard and get rebounds,” Arizin said. “Play bigger than I actually am. He played the exact same way.”

Yet Arizin can’t actually see much –– if any –– of his father’s skills on video. Most of it is unavailable.

“It’s all [my father’s] own stories that he talks about, so [the stories] might be a little exaggerated,” Arizin joked.

In high school, Arizin competed in the Catholic League as a four-year player at St. Joseph’s Prep. For three of those years, he played on the same team as his cousin, Gabe, Michael’s son, who is now a walk-on at the University of Richmond.

“We were both pretty competitive and had different roles on the team,” Arizin said. “[Gabe] pushed me and I pushed him.”

One of St. Joe’s Prep’s opponents in the Catholic League was Roman Catholic High School. Lynn Greer III, son of another Philly legend, Lynn Greer Jr., was the star of their team. Greer’s squad defeated St. Joe’s Prep in 2019, the last time Gabe and Arizin played together as teammates.

Any bad blood left over from that game might be forgiven, now that Lynn Greer III is transferring to St. Joe’s from Dayton. He will play with the Hawks next season. Arizin affirmed that he didn’t have any influence in Greer’s decision to return home to Philly.

“[Greer III and I] were pretty much rivals in high school, so [me recruiting him] might have not ended too well,” Arizin said.

Lange had a more descriptive recounting of Arizin’s time at St. Joe’s Prep, remembering one particular moment.

“[Arizin] dunked on Lynn Greer’s team [Roman Catholic],” Lange said.

Arizin committed to St. Joe’s during his senior year, choosing the Hawks over a handful of Division III schools.

“I knew I couldn’t go 30 minutes or further from home,” Arizin said. “I love St. Joe’s and I always went to [Hawk] games when I was younger.”

As for his current role on the team this season, Arizin believes he can still have an impact, even while on the bench. In his two seasons, Arizin has appeared in seven games, playing six minutes and scoring a bucket.

“Obviously, I’d love to be a contributor, but I can contribute in any way they need me to do, whether it is screaming stuff out on the bench for our guys on defense or pushing our guys in practice,” Arizin said. “I just love being a part of [the team.]”

His individual goal aligns with the team’s ultimate goal this season: to win the conference tournament and make the NCAA Tournament.

“[Arizin] has a great spirit and he works every day,” Lange said.

“And honestly, if we need him, I’m confident he will be ready.”