Rick Pitino is known to make something out of nothing. The Hall-of-Fame coach had his redemption arc with St. John’s this year! He dominated the Big East with no five-star recruits on the roster and made it to the Big Dance as the two seed. However, his dream run was ended by the hands of John Calipari and his Razorbacks. Everyone expected the Red Storm to win, but it was not to be.

However, Pitino is trying to ensure that this year’s mistakes don’t roll on to the next. The three-point shooting wasn’t really there, and the Red Storm struggled to score in transition. His squad, comprising a couple of four-star recruits and not much else, is looking at a major makeover this off-season!

According to a sports journalist on X, St. John’s is looking to upgrade their roster majorly during the transfer window! They just landed Joson Sanon from Arizona State University and are also looking at Bryce Hopkins. If their plans are successful, the starting lineup would cost a fortune in NIL money. Estimations have a lineup of Sanon, Hopkins, Ejiofor, and RJ Luis at around $5-6 million.

If Rick Pitino gets his way, the St. John’s Red Storm will surely be a formidable team in the Big East next year. Teams like UConn and Creighton who got eliminated in the second round will also be gunning for a better season. However, Pitino is moving different! His off-season has already started, and it looks to be quite exciting.

They are looking to add a bit more size in their backcourt by adding combo guards like Joson Sanon and Bryce Hopkins. Both players can shoot the daylights out of the ball, and have the size advantage over other players in their position. Rick Pitino is looking out for the future, and we’re all here for it! And how is it going? Let’s find out.

Joson Sanon joins St. John’s under Rick Pitino’s tutelage

If there’s a guard in the transfer portal that fits the Red Storm perfectly, it’s Joson Sanon. The six-foot-five combo guard is a sniper, so much so that ASU head coach Bobby Hurley called him the best shooter he’s ever coached. His commitment to St. John’s created headlines aplenty, as he refused to take any school visits after entering the transfer portal.

Jonathan Givony broke the news on March 26th that Sanon will be taking his talents to the Red Storm. And there’s a reason he chose Rick Pitino out of everyone else. “Coach Pitino believes in me and my potential and what he can do for me,” Sanon told ESPN after his commitment to SJU. He emphasized wanting to work hard under the Hall-of-Famer and his system. “The way Coach P teaches defense is something I want to invest my time into.”

Sanon’s addition addresses a major concern that the Red Storm had this season—shooting from deep. Pitino’s team struggled to get good looks from beyond the arc this season, with their troubles being highlighted in the game against Arkansas. They shot around 10% from three, showing that there’s some work to be done.

Even with Joson Sanon, however, there are still some necessary changes for Pitino to make. The legendary coach did good on his promise to revive St. John’s basketball, but now? Fans want a ring! It will be interesting to see how the off-season progresses, and what moves Rick Pitino decides on making.