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Rick Pitino Extends St. John's Contract, Becomes Second-Highest Paid Big East Coach

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Pitino Secures Restructured Deal at St. John's, Becomes Second-Highest Paid in Big East

St. John's and head coach Rick Pitino have finalized an agreement on a restructured contract, adding one year to his current deal. This agreement includes a substantial pay raise for Pitino and his entire coaching staff, elevating Pitino to become the second-highest-paid coach in the Big East Conference, following Connecticut's Dan Hurley. Pitino's annual earnings are projected to be around $6 million.

Contract Details

  • The new agreement extends Pitino's contract by one year.
  • Pitino's estimated annual salary will be approximately $6 million.
  • This new compensation places him as the second-highest-paid coach in the Big East.
  • The agreement also includes significant pay raises for his coaching staff.
  • Previously, Pitino's initial six-year deal was valued at roughly $20 million.

Administrative Support and Pitino's Future

St. John's president Fr. Brian Shanley and athletic director Ed Kull had publicly committed to retaining Pitino. Pitino stated he would take time to consider his coaching future, implying his intention to continue by signing the new deal.

He described his partnership with St. John's as a "great marriage," highlighting its positive impact on the program's national profile and fan engagement.

Program Achievements Under Pitino

Under Pitino's leadership, St. John's has achieved notable milestones:

  • Secured back-to-back outright Big East regular-season titles.
  • Won consecutive Big East Tournament crowns, both unprecedented for the program.
  • Reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in March, a first since 1999.
  • Recorded 30-win seasons in consecutive years, matching a record from the 1984-86 seasons.

Having recently achieved his 900th career win, Pitino has expressed a desire to reach 1,000 wins, which reportedly influenced the school's decision to add an extra year to his contract. The upcoming offseason is crucial for the team due to the departure of starting frontcourt players. However, key pieces like Dylan Darling, Joson Sanon, and Ruben Prey are expected to return, and booster Mike Repole has committed financial support to assist the program in reloading and building a long-term presence.