Rick Pitino Signs Extension With St. John's, Becomes Big East's Second-Highest-Paid Coach

John's, a deal that will keep him in Queens through the end of the decade, athletic director Ed Kull said. Coach Pitino has changed the culture of our community and we want his presence to be felt on this campus for years to come. The extension follows back-to-back historic seasons for the Red Storm, who became the first program in Big East history to capture both the regular season and conference tournament titles in consecutive years. St. John's finished 30-7 this season, ranked as high as fifth nationally, before falling to Duke in the Sweet 16 on Friday. Pitino holds an 81-25 record in three seasons at St. John's, with two NCAA tournament appearances and 30 or more wins in each of the past two campaigns. The Sweet 16 run was the program's first since 1999 and made St. John's the fourth program Pitino has guided to the second weekend of the tournament. The Red Storm's resurgence has restored the program's standing in New York, with sold-out crowds at Madison Square Garden becoming routine and an energy not seen at the school in nearly a generation. The turnaround is equally a story of Pitino's own revival. He was dismissed from Louisville in October 2017 following a federal investigation into college basketball, then rebuilt his career coaching professionally in Greece before returning stateside at Iona in 2020, where he guided the Gaels to two NCAA appearances in three seasons. St. John's commitment signals continued investment in revenue sharing and NIL resources that have helped Pitino assemble competitive rosters each season.