Aaron Scott loved everything about the visit.
The campus was a few hundred miles from his home in Spring, Texas.
His sister, Liz, was on the women’s basketball team.
Oklahoma — not St. John’s — just felt right.
He committed before leaving Norman that weekend in April.
“I slept on it and I woke up with a weird feeling in my gut,” the 6-foot-7 forward recalled in an interview with The Post on Saturday. “I felt like I needed to be at St. John’s. Even though it’s far away from home, far away from Texas, I just felt like I needed to be here, needed to get out of my comfort zone. So far, it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made.”
He added: “I just felt like going to New York City, going to play for a Hall of Fame coach, is an opportunity you can’t pass up.”
St. John’s is thrilled he changed his mind.
Through summer and the early part of fall workouts, he has wowed the staff with his two-way ability.
They see untapped potential in him on the offensive end, and a defensive stalwart on the other.
Coach Rick Pitino has said that Scott had the best summer of anyone on the roster, and envisions him being a critical piece to the Johnnies as a four-man who can defend multiple positions and stretch the defense with his 3-point shot.
But Scott won’t let that praise go to his head.
Official practices haven’t even started — that begins on Tuesday.
“That’s just one phase, we still have a season to go,” he said. “I’m going to stay consistent, keep being me, keep getting better, keep learning all these new [plays].”
Scott has had to make some adjustments, which was part of why he opted for St. John’s instead of Oklahoma.
To take the next step in his career he felt it was important to test himself with a new situation.
He’s living in New York City — his first trip here came last year when North Texas played Fordham — and has visited Times Square and attended a Mets game.
The city is the polar opposite to his hometown.
Asked to describe the difference, he used one word: “Crazy.”
St. John’s style is very different, too.
Scott, who averaged 11 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks while shooting an even 37 percent from distance for North Texas last season, is getting used to playing in an up-tempo system after spending the last three seasons with the plodding Mean Green, who were ranked 360th in adjusted tempo.
Early on, coaches got on him for passing up shots.
“I’ve gotten so much better since I’ve been here. I’ve learned so much basketball knowledge, different ways to guard ball screens, different ways to help on defense,” Scott said during St. John’s 14th annual Dribble for Victory Over Cancer fundraising event on campus. “It’s been a lot of knowledge, a lot of learning here, and I feel like that can help me as I continue playing basketball.”
The decision to pass on Oklahoma for St. John’s wasn’t easy, Scott recalled.
His sister was initially mad at him.
He had to explain the change to his parents.
But thinking back on it now, Scott is certain he made the right choice.
He’s experienced new things in a new city, getting pushed by Pitino’s notoriously demanding skill development sessions.
He’s on a loaded roster that includes dynamic lead guard transfers Kadary Richmond (Seton Hall) and Deivon Smith (Utah), is being coached by one of the all-time greats and has a very good chance to reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time.
“We got a whole bunch of winners on the team,” he said. “A lot of guys who want to win. I haven’t been to the tournament yet. That’s our main goal, just touch the tournament. If we touch the tournament, who knows what can happen in the tournament. I think it’s going to be a good year.”
