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Chris Mullin has high praise for Rick Pitino, St. John's basketball in dream season

The former Red Storm superstar player and coach spoke glowingly about the current state of the program
ByKevin Connelly|
February 23, 2020; San Francisco, California, USA; Former St. John basketball player and head coach Chris Mullin before the Golden State Warriors game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Chase Center.
February 23, 2020; San Francisco, California, USA; Former St. John basketball player and head coach Chris Mullin before the Golden State Warriors game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Chase Center. | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Chris Mullin has not mentioned anything involving the St. John’s basketball program since leaving as the school’s head coach in 2019. Attending legendary head coach Lou Carnesecca’s funeral in December was the first time he had been back on campus since his departure.

However, he hasn’t stopped watching the Johnnies as they are in the midst of its best season since Mullin’s playing days.

During an appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio during NBA All-Star Weekend, Mullin spoke glowingly about the Red Storm and what Rick Pitino has done in this remarkable turnaround.

“Rick Pitino is one of the great coaches of all time at any level,” he said. “To me, at the college level, he’s basically Pat Riley.”

Mullin noted the change in the body type of players, specifically Seton Hall transfer Kadary Richmond, as he has continued to develop under Pitino this season.

“He transformed his body from the first time I saw him this season,” Mullin explained of Richmond, who has been playing at an All-Big East level over the last five weeks.

Pitino’s success is something that Chris Mullin talked about with Lou Carnesecca after he got hired by St. John’s and Carnesecca agreed with his superstar.

“Rick Pitino is one of the best coaches in the history of the game,” he said at Pitino’s introductory press conference nearly two years ago. “I think he is in the Top-10, perhaps even in the top-five list of coaches in the last 50 years.”

St. John’s is ranked among the Top-10 in the country for the first time since the 1999-2000 season yet its last NCAA Tournament berth was in 2019 when Mullin was still the head coach.

“They’re relentless with their conditioning, their defensive pressure,” he said of the current team.

The last time St. John’s was ranked inside the Top-5 of the nation was during the 1990-91 season when Carnesecca was still the head coach.

Rick Pitino and the No. 10 Johnnies (22-4, 13-2 Big East) will look to move closer on clinching the Big East regular season title when playing in Chicago against DePaul (11-15, 2-13 Big East) on Wednesday night (9:00 p.m. ET, FS1).

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