With rumors swirling about potential interest from the Indiana Hoosiers, St. John’s basketball coach Rich Pitino reveals the surprising opportunity that would make him ponder leaving the Red Storm.
Over the last 25 years, New York City’s most beloved college basketball program, the St. John’s Red Storm, has only participated in the NCAA tournament five times. It is a disappointing statistic for a basketball program that was as popular as the New York Knicks during the 1980s.
Related: Where does St. John’s basketball land in our latest men’s college basketball power rankings?
That is why it should come as no surprise that the university turned to embattled coach Rick Pitino. With his stock as low as ever the school saw an opportunity to bring in a coaching legend in the hopes that the 72-year-old can bring the program back to prominence in the final years of his career.
Well, he has done just that in his first two seasons leading the St. John’s basketball program. The team is 44-17 during his tenure. And is a top 10 team in the latest Associated Press college basketball rankings. With his reputation fixed and his stock on the rise, there have been rumblings of interest from some powerhouse programs, including Indiana.
The New York Post recently asked Pitino about the rumors. And he offered up an interesting response for what brand could lure him away from the St. John’s basketball program.
Could Rick Pitino leave the St. John’s basketball program for the EuroLeague?
“It’s the end of my career. My life, basketball-wise, started in New York. And what better way to end it than in New York?” Pitino said. “I will not take any other college job. I can assure you of that. It’s St. John’s, retirement, EuroLeague, or Miami. Not the university.”
Interestingly, the coach mentioned the EuroLeague as a potential option. However, with him having done so much and made a boatload of money, working in a beautiful European city certainly has an appeal to a man in his retirement years.
One has to wonder if this message will reach some of the biggest basketball brands in Europe in the coming days. And if St. John’s should be worried.