“Fundamentally Poor”: Rick Pitino Makes Honest Assessment of St. John’s Preseason Games

Rick Pitino, head coach of St. John's Red Storm, made a frank assessment of his team's preseason performances during a recent media day. Despite finishing the preseason with an undefeated record of 3-0, Pitino expressed disappointment in his team's fundamental performance. After a close win against Texas, Pitino was asked about his comments following the Rutgers game, where St. John's triumphed 104-99 in a four-overtime match.

Pitino explained that if his team continued playing at that level against Texas, they would likely lose by a significant margin of 40 points.

The new-look team featured 11 new players, and the departure of key contributors such as Zuby Eljofor, Bryce Hopkins, and Dillon Mitchell further impacted their performance. While acknowledging the team's talent and potential, Pitino graded St. John's preseason games with a C-minus. He emphasized that Rutgers had performed exceptionally well, surpassing expectations, while Drexel had been a significant underperformer, earning a D grade.

Pitino cautioned that teams typically receive a C or C-plus grade at this stage of the season, noting that only a truly exceptional squad would achieve a B grade.