Iona Basketball: What to expect with Gaels hire of Rick Pitino

Potential Roster

The new staff is going to need to get out quickly and hit the recruiting trail. Iona loses a good deal of talent next year, but they do have a good returning trio led by Isaiah Washington and Asante Gist. Washington is a New York native and transferred into Iona after two seasons playing for coach Pitino’s son Richard at Minnesota. Washington and the younger Pitino allegedly have a tumultuous relationship which led to Washington transferring to Iona.

The senior point guard has had a disappointing career up to this point but started to show the flashes that made one of the top recruits coming out of High School. The older Pitino should be able to get Washington to play up to his potential. The next two players are also transfers one from Eastern Kentucky and one from UMKC. Asante Gist and Isaiah Ross are the other two players who make up the trio. Gist and Ross are both double-digit scorers who are great pieces to build around.

So far, the new head coach has been scouring the JUCO ranks looking for talent. There are some Syracuse transfers one who is a very intriguing prospect to Iona. Carey was a 4-star prospect who hails from New York City. He is the perfect building block for Pitino to build a recruiting class around.  Carey would need to sit out a year, but Carey would be far and away the best prospect the Gaels have ever secured.

Watch out for the Gaels to be one of the better mid-majors in the next couple of years. The Gaels hit a home run with this hire even given the baggage that comes with Pitino.