Rick Pitino, the Hall of Fame head coach of St. John’s, is entering his second season at the helm after a career that spans more than five decades of college basketball. His journey, marked by stints at powerhouse programs and multiple national coach of the year awards, culminated in a return to New York where he now guides the Red Storm toward another era of excellence.
A Milestone in Coaching
The program’s recent surge includes back‑to‑back BIG EAST regular‑season and tournament titles and a Sweet Sixteen appearance — the first in 27 years — signaling a rapid ascent under Pitino’s leadership.
Next season’s schedule is deliberately challenging, featuring non‑conference contests against Syracuse, Oregon, Louisville, Texas Tech, Arizona and several other traditional powers. Pitino believes these games will serve as a crucible for his squad, testing depth and resilience before conference play.
Among the newcomers is Babacar Sane, a 6‑8 forward from Senegal who spent the last season with MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg in Germany’s Basketball Bundesliga, averaging nearly 10 points and five rebounds. Also joining the roster are Donnie Freeman, a 6‑9 transfer from Syracuse, and Quinn Ellis, a 6‑5 point guard who refined his game in Italy and Germany, where he posted 8.3 points and 4.5 assists per game in EuroLeague competition.
The team also welcomes Theo Edema, a 6‑11 center from Nigeria and a consensus four‑star prospect who re‑classified to the 2026–27 class, as well as guard Ian Jackson, who contributed 9.4 points per game in the 2025–26 season. Returning veterans such as Casper Pohto, Fotis Konstantinidis and Ruben Prey provide continuity and depth, helping the Red Storm post a 25‑2 record at Madison Square Garden over the past two seasons — a .926 winning percentage that ranks among the nation’s best home‑court performances.
Pitino’s coaching philosophy emphasizes hard work, a positive attitude and unselfish play. He notes that his system is simple to execute when players commit to those principles, a message that has resonated throughout the locker room and helped the program compile a 36‑win streak over the last two BIG EAST seasons.