Rick Pitino\u2019s arrival at St. John\u2019s has sparked a revival in Queens, and his former assistant, Kevin Willard, is taking notice. As the Red Storm prepares for a significant 2025-26 season, Willard, now head coach at Villanova, recently shared insights on Pitino\u2019s high-energy approach and old-school style.<\/p>\n
With a roster sending multiple players to the NBA Summer League, the program\u2019s resurgence under Pitino shows great promise for returning to the top.<\/p>\n
Rick Pitino And St John\u2019s Is The Perfect Marriage, According to Kevin Willard<\/p>\n
On the Field of 68: After Dark podcast<\/a>, Willard reflected on facing his former mentor. \u201cI love the fact that we are going against each other now\u2026 the best thing about Rick Pitino is that he has an energy that is unmatched,\u201d Willard said.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cI think St. John\u2019s is so perfect because he brings the same energy that he had in the New York Knicks.\u201d He praised the synergy between Pitino and the program, \u201cIf you are not working, if you are not matching his energy, you will quickly find out about it. I think the job he has done for St. John\u2019s and the opportunity that St. John\u2019s gave him is the perfect marriage.\u201d<\/p>\n Pitino\u2019s impact is very evident in St John\u2019s recent upward momentum. He\u2019s instilled a relentless work ethic, demanding players match his intensity. Willard noted a return to the program\u2019s roots, saying, \u201cHe has gone back a little old school. Like they are playing defense really really physical. It matches what St. John\u2019s was back in the day, physical, tough, hardened.\u201d<\/p>\n This rugged, defensive-minded approach is what made St. John\u2019s a force back in the day, and Pitino\u2019s strategy to go back to the roots shows that the program is once again back on track to be one of the top contenders, according to Willard.<\/p>\n St. John\u2019s newfound relevance extends beyond college hoops. Despite no players being selected in the 2025 NBA Draft, four draft-eligible Johnnies<\/a>, RJ Luis, Kadary Richmond, Aaron Scott, and Deivon Smith, secured Summer League deals.<\/p>\n Luis, the Big East Player of the Year, signed a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz but has been sidelined by knee soreness. Richmond joined the Washington Wizards, Scott the Boston Celtics, and Smith the Atlanta Hawks, all set to debut in Las Vegas in the NBA summer league.<\/p>\n Daniss Jenkins, a G-League All-Rookie with the Motor City Cruise, is back with the Detroit Pistons\u2019 Summer League squad, aiming for a full-time NBA role after seven games with the parent club. Even Chris Ledlum, from Pitino\u2019s first St. John\u2019s team, earned a spot with the Houston Rockets following a stint in France.<\/p>\n