Rick Pitino agrees to six-year deal with St. John's, returning to Big East Conference
Rick Pitino, Legendary college basketball coach is set to take over as the new head coach of the St. John's Red Storm, according to a report from ESPN. The 70-year-old coach has agreed to a six-year contract with the school, and will be introduced at a news conference on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden.
Rick Pitino's Journey Back To The Big East: From Iona to St. John's
Pitino, a two-time national champion head coach, brings a wealth of experience to the Red Storm, having previously led the Kentucky Wildcats and Louisville Cardinals to NCAA championships. He was also named Coach of the Year in both the NBA and the NCAA.
The move sees Pitino return to the Big East Conference, where he will look to turn around a St. John's program that has struggled in recent years. The Red Storm have not made the NCAA Tournament since 2019, and have not won an NCAA Tournament game since 2000.
Despite this, Pitino is optimistic about the challenge ahead, and has stated his desire to coach for at least another six or seven years. He has a .740 winning percentage in 34 full seasons as a college basketball coach, and has guided five schools to the NCAA Tournament.
Pitino's arrival at St. John's comes after a successful stint at Iona, where he led the Gaels to two regular-season titles in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances. Despite being seeded 13th this year, the Gaels put up a strong fight against No. 4 seed UConn before ultimately falling in the first round.
Prior to his time at Iona, Pitino coached in Greece for two years following his departure from Louisville in 2017. His time at Louisville was marred by an FBI investigation into college basketball corruption, which led to allegations of NCAA violations. Despite being exonerated in the FBI-related case, the 2013 national title he won at Louisville was later vacated by the NCAA after an investigation found an assistant coach paid escorts and exotic dancers to entertain players and recruits in campus dorms.
Pitino's appointment is seen as a major coup for St. John's, and has generated excitement among fans and alumni of the program. With Pitino at the helm, the Red Storm will be hoping to return to the heights of their glory days, when they were a national power in the mid-1980s under the leadership of head coach Lou Carnesecca.
Conclusion:
Rick Pitino's move to St. John's marks a new chapter for the legendary coach and the struggling Red Storm program. With his impressive coaching record and experience in the Big East, Pitino has the potential to invigorate the St. John's team and bring them back to the prominence they once enjoyed. However, his tenure at Louisville also raises concerns about potential NCAA violations and off-court scandals. Nonetheless, Pitino's appointment at St. John's has generated excitement among fans and pundits alike, and it remains to be seen how his leadership will transform the Red Storm on and off the court.
