Rick Pitino Discusses Areas of Improvement for St John’s Basketball Star

A St. John's Red Storm star can take his game to another level by developing in these areas.

Mar 19, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; St. John's Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino speaks at a press conference ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

St. John’s Red Storm men's basketball Star Babacar Sané is still waiting to hear if he will be cleared to play NCAA Basketball, but he is still putting in the work to prepare for the season.

Red Storm Head Coach Rick Pitino spoke about the upside of Sané, as well as the areas of his game that need improvement in order to reach his potential for St. John’s.

Sané scored 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds in his collegiate debut in an exhibition game against the Drexel Dragons. He scored 13 points with six rebounds and a pair of assists against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in his second exhibition game this past weekend.

Pitino has ironically known Sané’s agent, Bouna N’Diaye, for several years, going back to when Pitino was coaching at Kentucky.

The sky's the limit for Babacar Sane

Feb 19, 2023; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Team Scoot forward Babacar Sane (4) makes a slam dunk over Team Luka small forward Isaiah Mobley (15) during the first half at the Jon M. Huntsman Center. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Creveling-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

When it comes to Sané, there are skills he lacks that are apparent in his game. But N’Diaye spoke to the Hall of Fame Head Coach about what he needs in order to take the next step.

“He said to me, if you can get him to understand and learn the game of basketball the right way, you will have a great player,” Pitino said, via Adam Zagoria of NJ.com.

Pitino touched upon a few of the areas that Sané could improve upon, including knowing when to take a shot and whether it’s a good or bad shot, as well as not turning over the basketball once he gets possession.

“And I agree with that, but it’s going to take a lot of work to get him to understand a good shot vs. bad shot, how to protect the basketball, not turn it over,” Pitino said. “He’s such a great guy and such a good leader, that I know he’ll get it. It’s just going to take some time.”

23-Year-old Senegalese 🇸🇳 Forward Babacar Sane was OUSTANDING in his Debut for Rick Pitino and St. John’s @StJohnsBBall in their opening exhibition vs Drexel. He’s been an anticipated Bundesliga addition.

20 MIN
17 PTS (5/10 FG | 3/4 3PT | 4/6 FT)
8 REB (2 OFF)
2 AST
1 STL
1 BLK pic.twitter.com/FOe59Rr788

— World Basketball Scouting (@WorldBBScouting) October 15, 2026

Pitino also said that Sané is “not fundamentally sound” and lacks basic mechanics of the game, but he does believe that he has what it takes to get better and that it will come as he continues to work.

“He can score, he can shoot,” Pitino said. “He’ll get better. He has so much to learn. It’s like coaching a freshman in terms of what he needs to learn except he’s a man child.”

Considering he’s in the hands of Pitino, it’s safe to say Sané will improve his game and reach his fullest potential. There are a lot of things he does well on the court, but improving his fundamentals and understanding of the game will take him to the next level for the Red Storm this upcoming season.