Mar 27, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; St. John’s Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino reacts in the first half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the East Regional of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images
A long offseason awaits St. John’s after Duke eliminated it from the NCAA tournament. Who it will recruit this spring is yet to be determined, but the Queens school has already addressed one of its more pressing issues: bringing back Rick Pitino.
As first reported by ESPN, the 73-year-old Hall of Famer signed a new deal with St. John’s on Sunday to continue an already historic end-of-career run. Per sources, the deal includes an additional year through the 2029-30 season and will significantly increase his salary, making him the second-highest-paid coach in the Big East. Only Dan Hurley of UConn has a larger salary.
The new contract, which has yet to be confirmed by either side, ensures St. John’s commitment towards helping Pitino reach 1,000 career wins, after reaching 916 this season. Eighty-four more victories are left for the 2025 National Coach of the Year to reach his crowning achievement.
In three seasons in Queens, Pitino has been the focal point of the new, improved, and revitalized Red Storm. Under the guidance of a three-time National Champion, the Johnnies won consecutive Big East regular-season and tournament titles, something they had never done in program history.
A return to the NCAA tournament was their next major accomplishment, as they won in the first round twice and reached the Sweet Sixteen this time around.
Pitino’s proactive and disciplined approach played a pivotal role in the development of Big East Player of the Year recipients RJ Luis Jr and Zuby Ejiofor. He also oversaw the development of NBA hopefuls Bryce Hopkins, Dillon Mitchell, and Ian Jackson.
The most disappointing season was the first year of the Pitino era, when the Red Storm went 20-13 and missed out on the Big Dance. A year of mediocrity and disappointment was all he needed to bring the Johnnies back to prominence, as they went 31-5 and 30-7 in the following seasons.
With a lengthy offseason on the horizon, St. John’s made sure to take care of its top priority. Even though Ejiofor, Mitchell, and Hopkins will be gone due to graduation, Pitino will continue his legendary career and look to bring more talent to St. John’s.
