“Dreamers are not content with being mediocre.” And Rick Pitino has spent his whole career proving exactly that. Some coaches don’t just coach the game. Think Coach K, John Calipari, Bill Self…they are much more than just a “coach,” and Pitino falls under this category. The dark Louisville chapter is now firmly behind him, and he’s back to doing what he does best: winning and reinventing programs.

The “journeyman” of college basketball made history by becoming the first coach ever to lead six different teams to the NCAA Tournament — delivering St. John’s its first trip to the big dance since 2006 — and he even earned Coach of the Year honors in a rare tie with Bruce Pearl. But as he continues to work his magic on the sidelines, one question continues to bother fans: how much longer will college basketball get to witness this miracle man at work? Well, he has finally addressed the elephant in the room!

Andy Katz of TNT Sports revealed what Rick Pitino said when he was asked about retirement.

“What I really admire about Coach Pitino, and I know you all on the desk can appreciate this, he said today that everyone always asks him, when are you going to retire? He says, I’m going to retire when I stop learning. He continues to learn. When he coached in Greece, he absorbed so much knowledge about European basketball — the passing, the cutting. He says he watches mid-major and low-major basketball, always looking to learn. He continues to do that. That’s what keeps him young. That’s what keeps him loving this game and wanting to continue to contribute to the game. He always wants to learn.”

That’s great news for St. John’s, who would love nothing more than to see the 73-year-old keep learning and stay healthy for many years to come. Pitino’s coaching journey spans more than 50 years, starting all the way back at Hawaii, and he’s found success everywhere he’s been.

Yes, he didn’t reach the level of NBA success he once hoped for, but his run with Panathinaikos in Greece after the Louisville scandal proved that he wasn’t afraid to take risks, and he could win at almost every level of the game. He went overseas, embraced a new style of basketball, won a championship, and reminded everyone just how sharp his coaching mind still was. And after proving himself there, he came back to where he’s always been at his best: college basketball.

Pitino’s journey to rebuild his reputation after the Louisville scandal eventually brought him to St. John’s, but not before a strong run at Iona. He led the Gaels to the NCAA Tournament and delivered two MAAC regular-season titles along with two tournament championships.

At St. John’s, he picked up right where he left off. He guided the Johnnies to their fourth Big East Tournament title and took them back to the Big East championship game for the first time since 2000 under Mike Jarvis. His impact on St. John’s — and on the game itself — hasn’t gone unnoticed for obvious reasons, and even Bruce Pearl had high praise for the legendary coach.

“At the end of my career, to stand there on the same stage as Coach Pitino, it was beyond special,” Pearl said. “He’s the best coach I’ve ever gone up against and I’ll tell you why. He knew exactly what I wanted to do and how to stop it and he knew what he wanted to do, and how to stop it. He was in my head. And I’ve gone up against all of them! He was the best.”

History shows that Pearl and Pitino actually faced each other in the Sweet 16 back in 2008. Back then, Pitino was with Louisville and Pearl with Tennessee. Louisville won that matchup comfortably, 79–60, pulling away by 19 points. But even without that game, it’s no surprise that Pearl sees Pitino as one of the best coaches of all time. Pitino is a Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer, a two-time national champion, and has seven Final Four appearances on his resume. His track record speaks for itself.

He has a real chance to win his third championship (his 2nd legitimate championship) with St. John’s this season — but it definitely won’t be easy!

Can Rick Pitino win his third championship?

Rick Pitino’s side entered the new season ranked No. 5 in the AP Preseason Poll — the highest ranking in program history! And a big reason for that is their loaded transfer class built around Big East Preseason Player of the Year, Zuby Ejiofor. St. John’s went all-in on the transfer portal, and the roster looks as strong as it ever has under Pitino.

According to 247Sports, the Red Storm landed the No. 1 transfer class in the entire nation. They added real firepower with Ian Jackson, Bryce Hopkins, Joson Sanon, Dillon Mitchell, and Oziyah Sellers. Even with RJ Luis Jr. leaving, this backcourt is anything but thin. Pitino has completely reloaded with top-tier talent — giving St. John’s fans every reason to stay excited for what’s coming.

But with 11 new players — seven transfers and four freshmen — finding rhythm and chemistry right away was always going to be a challenge for St. John’s. And it showed early. Their loss to No. 15 Alabama exposed some of those growing pains, and the Red Storm slid from No. 5 to No. 13 in the rankings after that defeat.

Pitino has already admitted that they’d run into some chemistry issues early on, and with a 2–1 start to the season, it’s fair to say he wasn’t wrong. But if the Red Storm can tighten things up, build real on-court connections, and find the right rotations — something a coach of Rick Pitino’s calibre should have no trouble doing — there’s no reason St. John’s can’t chase its first-ever national championship and give Rick Pitino his third (second legitimate) title.