Rick Pitino’s Never-Ending Playbook: How the St. John’s Coach is Cementing His Legacy

At 72, while his coaching peers are enjoying retirement or dabbling in media gigs, Rick Pitino is out here doing what he does best—winning. Not just winning, but orchestrating one of the most improbable turnarounds in college basketball history at St. John’s.

On Tuesday night, the No. 10 Red Storm took down No. 11 Marquette, 70-64, in a way that was classic Pitino—relentless defense, chaos-inducing pace, and 21 offensive rebounds to make up for a brutal shooting night. The win gave St. John’s a clear lead in the Big East title race, something that felt unthinkable just a year ago.

But then again, with Pitino, the improbable always seems possible.

He’s now on the verge of taking a record-breaking sixth different school to the NCAA Tournament, a feat that only adds to his case as the greatest college basketball coach of all time.

The Last Man Standing

Look around college basketball, and the old guard is gone. Jim Boeheim? Broadcasting. Mike Krzyzewski? Podcasting. Roy Williams? Playing the role of diehard UNC fan in the stands. Leonard Hamilton? Just announced his retirement.

Pitino, meanwhile, is sprinting down the sideline in a designer suit, still scheming, still winning.

For over four decades, he’s adapted to every era—fast-paced offenses, three-point revolutions, the transfer portal, NIL. The game has changed, but the man hasn’t. And that’s exactly why he’s still on top while others have faded.

For all the accolades—national titles at Kentucky and Louisville, a Final Four run with Providence, a ridiculous 20-3 start with St. John’s this season—this resurgence might be his most impressive coaching job yet.

The Hire Nobody Else Made

It’s almost laughable now, but for years, big-time programs ignored Pitino. After his 2017 firing at Louisville in the wake of an FBI investigation and previous off-court scandals, he became an outcast.

While some administrators saw him as “too toxic” or “too old,” Iona gave him a shot, and he responded with two NCAA Tournament appearances in three seasons.

Even then, nobody in the Power 5 was calling.

Enter St. John’s, a program with history but no relevance in two decades. The Johnnies had cycled through five coaches in 20 years, making just three NCAA Tournament appearances and never winning a game. Their last March Madness victory? Before anyone on this roster was born.

Now? They’re 20-3, riding a nine-game win streak, playing for a top seed in the tournament, and packing Madison Square Garden every night.

And only Pitino could have pulled this off.

Still the Mastermind

Pitino’s teams have always played with a controlled chaos—defending relentlessly, attacking in transition, conditioning their way to late-game dominance.

This St. John’s squad isn’t loaded with NBA talent, but they’re tough, disciplined, and buying into Pitino’s system in a way that makes them dangerous.

And for the skeptics wondering if he could still do it in the NIL era, the answer is clear: Not only can he still win, but he might be coaching circles around his younger counterparts.

If he somehow gets this team to the Final Four—a fourth different school in his career—there won’t just be an argument that Pitino is still elite.

There will be an argument that he’s the greatest college basketball coach of all time.