Rick Pitino was no more than ten steps out of a Jamaica, New York court room on Tuesday afternoon following the injunction hearing of Auburn transfer Keyshawn Hall as associate head coach Steve Masiello rushed up to him with his phone.
Masiello flashed a message to Pitino, and the St. John’s head coach couldn’t help himself. His poker face was gone as he was grinning from ear-to-ear.
“Quinn [Ellis] is eligible,” he told those around him.
The NCAA, after a lengthy process, has cleared the Red Storm point guard to play this season after he committed to the Johnnies in the spring following a stint in the EuroLeague.
"We felt confident. It's great. It's a relief for him and a relief for us,” the Hall of Famer said.
A decision was expected this week with St. John’s opening exhibition game on Wednesday against Drexel but there was no certainty as to when the NCAA would make its decision.
"Quinn is so unusual in today's game,” Pitino added. “He's just a great performer. A lot of times when somebody says they are a true point guard, that means he's not a good athlete or he's not a good scorer. That's not the case with him. He's a legit 6-foot-4, he's lightning fast, he's a great athlete and a great basketball player."
It’s one less worry for St. John’s, who will learn the official fate of international standout Babacar Sane on November 9 and no timetable on a ruling from Honorable Joseph Risi after Tuesday’s hearing for Keyshawn Hall.
"I just think what a great playmaker he is,” Rick Pitino continued about Ellis.
“He makes plays for people. He is somebody that can go down the line and find somebody open you don't readily see. He sees the court as well as anybody I've coached."
Quinn Ellis is a two-time Italian Cup winner while being named as the Lega Serie A Best Young Player, Italian Cup Most Valuable Player, and Italian Supercup Most Valuable Player all in 2025.
For St. John’s, he was the one player the team needed to be cleared based on its depth – or lack thereof – at the point guard position.
Now, Rick Pitino knows that he will have his point guard entering the season with the hopes of more clarity on the entire roster coming shortly.
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