“It’s out of my hands,” were the words of coach Rick Pitino when asked about the program’s decision to fire general manager Matt Abdelmassih midway through the season. “That’s a university decision. I’ll abide by it.” The move shocked just about everyone. Abdelmassih had been seen as one of the key figures behind St. John’s roster building and transfer portal strategy. But as results dipped, he became the first target.

Abdelmassih had been on administrative leave since mid-December, and the school was looking into financial deals tied to him. Multiple reports say that played a role in the decision to part ways.

A day after the story surfaced, the St. John’s alum broke his silence. In a statement shared by Jeff Goodman on X, Abdelmassih wrote that he “operated honestly and transparently, working within the parameters I was given.”

“I’m a proud St. John’s alum. Coming back to Queens wasn’t just a job for me,” Abdelmassih wrote in his statement. “This place is part of my DNA, and I approached the role with that responsibility [in] front of my mind every day.

He continued, “During my two-and-a-half years in the role, I operated honestly and transparently, working within the parameters I was given, with one clear goal: putting together a roster capable of returning St. John’s to the top tier of college basketball. College sports is in a complicated moment, and I took on that challenge with professionalism, care, and accountability.”

A St. John’s alum, Abdelmassih had stints as an assistant at Nebraska and Iowa State under Fred Hoiberg, and later on Chris Mullin’s staff at St. John’s. Working with Rick Pitino and associate head coach Steve Masiello, he helped run St. John’s recruiting in the NIL era.

And it would be an understatement to say that his work hasn’t been good. He was a huge part of St. John’s best season in 25 years, putting together a roster that added Kadary Richmond, Deivon Smith, and Aaron Scott. The Red Storm then captured their first outright Big East regular-season crown in 40 years and their first conference tournament title in 25 years, ultimately bowing out in the NCAA Tournament’s second round.

This season, Abdelmassih went a step further and assembled the No. 1 transfer class in the country with a reported NIL budget of more than $10 million, per 247Sports.com. Yet despite entering at No. 5 in the preseason AP poll, the Johnnies stumbled early and now sit at 12–5 and unranked, already equaling last year’s loss total — although their 5–1 conference record offers some optimism.

So who replaces him at St. John’s? That’s what everyone wants to know.

Pitino Reveals St. John’s Has Started the Search to Replace Matt Abdelmassih

Rick Pitino had already downplayed the decision to fire the general manager, whom he brought in ahead of the 2023–24 season as part of his staff. “It’s not a big deal. It really isn’t,” he said. “I’m disappointed that somebody loses their job with four young kids, yes, but it’s not a big deal in terms of our basketball program.”

He added that he has three candidates in mind for the GM opening and mentioned that one of them was actually in attendance today, without naming them, according to Jason Dimaio on X. If that’s the case, it speaks to how brutally fast college athletics now operate. Blink, and someone else is already in the chair.

Top Stories

Mike Tomlin Receives New Job Offer as Steelers Make Final Decision on Firing HC After Aaron Rodgers’ Fury – Report

Ravens Owner Steve Bisciotti Announces Plans to Sell Franchise and Explains John Harbaugh’s Firing

Why Was Jordan Addison Arrested? All You Need to Know About Charges Against Vikings WR

Report: Police Starts Investigation For Olympian’s Mysterious Death At Home

Jerry Jones Announces Retirement Plans as Dallas Cowboys Owner Makes Triple Decision on Coaching Hiring

Billionaire LA Rams Owner Claps Back With $400M ‘Spiteful’ Lawsuit As Insider Makes St. Louis Move Joke

It will be interesting to see who St. John’s ultimately hires as Matt Abdelmassih’s replacement, but for now the focus shifts back to on-court results. Next up is Villanova, with ESPN giving the Johnnies a 51% chance of winning. It’s far from a free win, and Pitino knows that if conference play goes south, this team could miss the Big Dance, despite entering the season ranked fifth in the nation.