When New York City-born and Long Island-raised Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino was hired in March 2023 to lead the St. John’s Red Storm men’s basketball program, the expectation of their avid fan base was he would raise the program back to prominence.
Last season, in just his second at the helm, Pitino guided the 31-5 Red Storm to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019, the Big East Conference regular season title, and first conference tournament championship in 25 years. St. John’s suffered a disappointing 75-66 second round loss to Arkansas in the NCAA Tournament but reloaded and enters the 2025–2026 campaign ranked No. 5 in the Associated Press preseason men’s basketball poll and picked to repeat as regular season champions in the Big East men’s coaches poll.
Returning for the Red Storm is senior forward Zuby Ejiofor, who is the Big East Preseason Player of the Year and one of the captains of the team.
“Zuby’s the leader of our team,” Pitino said at the conference’s annual media day at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday. Ejiofor led the team in rebounds (8.1), blocks (1.4), and scoring (14.7) last season.
Graduate student and Red Storm forward Bryce Hopkins was named to the preseason All-Big East first team. He played for the University of Kentucky as a freshman before spending three seasons with Providence, but appeared in only three games last season due to tearing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee in January 2024. Hopkins was named First Team All Big East as a sophomore in 2023, when he averaged 16.1 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.
“His body is in great shape; he lost a lot of weight, trimmed down; he is much quicker, explosive,” said Pitino. “Playing small forward, he can overpower (opponents). He is great on the break, good rebounder.”
Pitino has the challenge of molding a talented roster that includes Bronx native Ian Jackson, a sophomore guard who transferred from the University of North Carolina and is a preseason All-Big East second team selection.
Senior forward Dillon Mitchell, who played two seasons at Texas before playing for Cincinnati last season, and sophomore guard Joson Sanon, who joined the Red Storm from Arizona State, should be key difference-makers — both were named to the preseason All-Big East third team.
“We have a very mature team,” Pitino said. “Dillon Mitchell’s an older player. Bryce Hopkins is an older player. They know how to lead as well. Bryce is a good guy. He has no ego. The players appreciate that.”
It will be a family affair when St. John’s faces Big East foe Xavier twice this season — Richard Pitino, Rick Pitino’s son, was hired last March as Xavier’s head coach.
“Great to have him in the league. I’m his biggest fan, so it will be exciting to see,” the elder Pitino said.
The Red Storm will play the No. 7 Michigan Wolverines on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden in an early-season battle between two top 10 teams.
“We are going to find out more about our team on Saturday,” Pitino said. “It is always great to play in the Garden because it is the World’s Most Famous Arena. It is a big treat for our players.”
