Rick Pitino - Head Coach at St John’s University!!!
- Thread starter Section9
- Start date
Rick Pitino has done a lot of unbelievable things in just a few short months at St. John’s. Getting me to enjoy a Jim Boeheim article is right near the top.
As I stated my defining year for his greatness was not his Providence team or those great UK teams. I think his coaching job at Louisville in 2010-11 season was just pure coaching greatness.
Picked 8th, essentially lost 3/4 of his recruiting class to academics although Deng ended up winning his appeal for 2nd semester.
Key rotation players included Chris Smith, Mike Marra, Kyle Kuric and Preston Knowles. Oh and he was coaching in a conference with Bob Huggins, Jim Boeheim, Jim Calhoun, Jay Wright, Jamie Dixon, Mike Brey, Buzz Williams. Kevin Willard and Mick Cronin were still nobodies.
Yeah 25-10, tied for 3rd at 12-6, went to BE Tourney final and got a 4 seed. Just a tremendous coaching job.
Picked 8th, essentially lost 3/4 of his recruiting class to academics although Deng ended up winning his appeal for 2nd semester.
Key rotation players included Chris Smith, Mike Marra, Kyle Kuric and Preston Knowles. Oh and he was coaching in a conference with Bob Huggins, Jim Boeheim, Jim Calhoun, Jay Wright, Jamie Dixon, Mike Brey, Buzz Williams. Kevin Willard and Mick Cronin were still nobodies.
Yeah 25-10, tied for 3rd at 12-6, went to BE Tourney final and got a 4 seed. Just a tremendous coaching job.
When asked if he thought it might take St. John’s some time to become a top tier team in the Big East since the league boasts three likely top-10 teams in Marquette, UConn, and Creighton, Boeheim didn’t hesitate to give a quick response.
“You have to look at what Rick (Pitino) has done with lesser resources,” Boeheim added. “I told him not to take the Boston University job in 1978 and he took them to the NCAA Tournament. He then took Providence to the Final Four in 1987 and they might have won the whole thing if they didn’t play us in the Final Four. Then Kentucky goes on probation and they hire him and they’re in the Final Four in a couple of years. Louisville? Look at the players that he won a national title with that year. Luke Hancock transferred from George Mason and nobody was recruiting Russ Smith, but he became a great player because of Rick. He’s a great coach.”
I have a warm and fuzzy feeling about this season.
I always thought his best was the Kentucky team that was rebuilding after the NCAA
sanctions that was a Grant Hill Hail Mary pass/ Christian Laettner catch an shootfrom making the Final Four put the points you presented are convincing.
You forgot to mention the game clock on that last play that moved at the pace of a sundial.
Two very underrated pieces to the puzzle. These guys are both athletic and can really hustle and play. They’re kinda hidden by the fact that they were freshmen and non-starters on an Iona team with good experienced high major type guards. Having guys off the bench with both experience in Rick’s system as well as legit ability down our bench will be our key to success this year.
I read recent article about Hurley and UConn mentioning that bench depth is a concern this season. That is something we won’t hVe to worry about at all.
He has others no doubt and that one was great. I would argue the year before that was as good if not a better job. 88-89 the year before Pitino arrived under Sutton they go 13-19 and then lose all their top players.. Throw in 2 years of probation, no post-season and no TV. So the first 2 years under Pitino, 89-90 and 90-91 no post-season or TV. He goes 14-14/10-8 first year. I mean that in itself was remarkable he had almost nothing to work with. He then lands his first big recruit, Mashburn. Next year, still on probation he goes 22-6/14-4 and wins the SEC regular season. But again no TV and cannot play in either the SEC Tourney or the NCAA.
So 91-92 team was a great job, but keep mind he already had turned UK around by year 2 he just wasn't allowed to play in the NCAAs. But they would have been a 2 or 3 seed more than likely in 91 if eligible.
And putting this all into perspective, didn’t he have 11 years off from college ball coaching pros, Greece etc? During his prime coaching years? Insane to think about if he stayed in college bball.
L J S A
Well-known member
I unfortunately don't think he's here if he never has gaps in his college career, but he'd hypothetically be winning his 1,000 game this season at St. John's. Plus tacking on another 150-200 before he's through.
I have said that if he had not left Kentucky he would have the coaching wins record or very close to Coach K on that.
I mean he had that rolling at a ridiculous level at Kentucky.
Are we playing them on campus or in Hartford?
Mike Zaun Returns
Well-known member
Of course assuming he never left UK and assuming no scandal (which to be fair he has had a few) that would get him fired he would not be at SJU.
So as crazy as his journey was (PC, Knicks, UK, Celtics, Louisville, Greece, Iona...) without that craziness the opportunity to coach SJU probably never arises.
Hartford
SJUWillRockNYC
Well-known member
Imagine winning the whole damn thing this year, that would be insane, but if anyone could do it, it's Rick. I'd never doubt him.
Last edited:
“There was not a more interesting offseason coaching move in the country than Pitino returning to Madison Square Garden and taking the St. John's job. Everywhere the 71-year-old Hall of Famer has gone, he's won. That's what makes this so intriguing, because the Big East-based Red Storm have been irrelevant for the better part of the last two decades and are without an NCAA Tournament win since 2000.
Pitino has overhauled the roster with high-impact transfers Jordan Dingle, Chris Ledlum and Daniss Jenkins, among others. He's elevated the game count at Madison Square Garden this year to eight contests, the most for the Johnnies since the 2014-15 campaign. Pitino could very well snap that March Madness drought with a top-25 caliber team.”
www.foxsports.com
Pitino has overhauled the roster with high-impact transfers Jordan Dingle, Chris Ledlum and Daniss Jenkins, among others. He's elevated the game count at Madison Square Garden this year to eight contests, the most for the Johnnies since the 2014-15 campaign. Pitino could very well snap that March Madness drought with a top-25 caliber team.”
40 players, coaches who will shape the 2023-24 men’s college basketball season | FOX Sports
With another college hoops season only 40 days away, it's time to get familiar with the players and coaches who will shape the season.
www.foxsports.com
Tierney: Rick Pitino the perfect man to bring St. John's back to prominence
Rick Pitino is not perfect, but the man is a basketball genius, and he’s one of us. Quite frankly, he’s the only one capable of truly crushing it at St. John’s.
www.audacy.com