Well of course if the roster was bad Pitino wouldn't be enough, but if there was another coach with this roster there would not be top 25 consideration. You could say that there would be potential but the nation would be in show me mode. Because it's Pitino they err on the side of the opposite of caution.
But there's still less returning stats and/or high level recruits than a wide range of rosters including a 3-4 in the BE and and a bunch more nationally. I'm not denigrating the players. I see tons of potential and am pleasantly surprised with what transpired. My glasses have shifted from gray to clear but I won't be putting on the rose colored ones Pitino has afforded us all until fall.
I try to look at what we expected from last season's team for comparison.
Everyone on this forum expected an NCAA invitation with that talent. We were all optimistic.......until the Big East season actually started.
Once real competition got under way, the roster WAS BAD. Poorly constructed, with an incompatible backcourt and a fluctuating roster of forwards who were out of their league. David Jones had real talent but the previous coach was helpless in harnessing his, and any other player's talent. Soriano was the exception because of his competitive mindset.
However, your comment regarding SJ having less returning stats or high level recruits is absurd. Soriano, Dingle, Luis, Taylor and Jenkins stats speak for themselves.
The last time St. John's had this many 4* players was during the Steve Lavin era.
St. John's went to two NCAA and rwo NIT tournaments under his tenure.
This first group under Pitino has as much, if not more talent, than the frosh laden team whose players we remember fondly to this day.
Frankly, I think some skeptics are still hung over the firing of CMA and almost the entire turnover of a roster that WAS BAD.