Rick Pitino has revitalized St. John's basketball, leading them back to the NCAA Tournament in 2024 and transforming the roster via the transfer portal. With a mix of significant player additions and the return of key players like Zuby Ejiofor, the Red Storm has surged in rankings, recently topping CBS Sports' Top 25. The departures of other programs' key players, particularly at Houston, have further opened the door for St. John's ascent, raising expectations for championship contention in the upcoming season.
"They lost an experienced, impactful, high-major guard," Parrish said, noting Houston hasn't added a comparable replacement. That opened the door for Pitino's squad to ascend.
"I don't love that he's the only real important piece from that Big East championship team that is going to be back at St. John's," Parrish admitted.
"Duke last year only returned one player who averaged at least 7.8 points per game... and by the time we got to the Final Four, Duke was still playing and was the favorite to win it all."
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