After getting fired at Minnesota, Richard Pitino went to New Mexico, where he turned a Lobos program into an at-large contender in the Mountain West. This past season, he led New Mexico to a regular-season title and to the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 before losing to Michigan State.
Coach Pitino was viewed as a candidate to jump to a bigger job, and on Tuesday, he reportedly landed at Xavier. The Musketeers had lost HC Sean Miller to the Texas Longhorns and opted to add another Pitino to the Big East. Will Pitino be coming alone, or are there players he can bring with him?
Here is a list of options available for the Musketeers.
Donovan Dent
The 6’2 guard was one of the best players in college basketball this season, averaging 20.4 ppg and 6.4 apg, shooting 49% from the field and 40% from three-point range. The junior guard was the Mountain West Player of the Year and an All-American honorable mention. We’ve seen star players follow their coaches to new spots before, including Great Osobor (Washington), Max Shulga (VCU), and Ace Baldwin (Penn State). Will Dent follow suit and go to the Big East?
Tru Washington
The 6’4 guard and former four-star prospect flew under the radar alongside Dent, but Washington had his own successful campaign, averaging 11.1 ppg and 4.0 rpg on 43% shooting from the field. He had 12 points against Marquette in the NCAA Tournament and a season-high 25 in a home win over Utah State. Washington is capable of playing at the Big East level and even if the Musketeers can’t get Dent, he’d be a fine option to bring over as well.
Jovan Milicevic
The 6’10 big man averaged just 3.8 ppg and 2.0 rpg in 12 mpg as a freshman off the bench. He played behind a frontcourt that included Nelly Junior Joseph, Atiki Ally Atiki, and Mustapha Amzil, so the limited minutes for Milicevic weren’t a surprise. But the freshman did have his moments, including 16 points in a road win over San Diego State. A 46% shooting split from deep (27/59) is also a good sign that Milicevic can develop into a key player, whether in the Mountain West or the Big East.