Big East Basketball: Ranking all head coaches going into 2023-24 season

No. 1: Rick Pitino, St. Johns Red Storm

Rick Pitino is one of the best college basketball coaches of all time and it is hard to not put him atop a head coaches list no matter who is involved.

Although he hasn’t been at a power 5 program since 2017, and Hurley just won a championship, Hurley doesn’t have half the reputation Pitino has. Pitino comes into St Johns looking to rebuild them, and hoping to return the Red Storm and Pitino himself back to prominence. Pitino has spent the last 3 years coaching the Iona Gaels where he led them atop of the conference twice and led them to the round of 64 twice as well. St Johns was able to look past his scandals and hired Pitino.

I’m not sure there is too much left to say when talking about Pitino’s career. He has had multiple sweet sixteens, elite eights, final fours, 2 championships, all with different schools. Pitino has been a division 1 coach since 1978, and there is not much you can say Pitino doesn’t have. He has good gameplans, solid recruiting, and is one of the best dressers in all of college basketball.

St. John’s fans have everything to look forward to when it comes to next season. Pitino not only brought in a top ten transfer class, but also comes in as one of the only coaches ever to take 3 different teams to a final four, and the first to win a championship at 2 different schools.

St John’s basketball is looking the best it has in years and that is all thanks to Pitino and his brilliant basketball mind, and his ability to evolve as head coach with the transfer portal even as a 70 year old man. Something that coaches like Jim Boeheim struggled with.

Pitino can take St Johns to great heights, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Pitino takes them to the top of the Big East in the coming years.