Rick Pitino Has Positive Take on Babacar Sane, St. John’s Basketball Roster

St. John's Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino provided his opinion on the eligibility of his team.

Oct 1, 2026; New York, NY, USA; St. John's Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino speaks at 2026 Big East Media Day at Marriott Marquis. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The St. John’s Red Storm knew they were taking some risks with how they went about filling out their men’s basketball roster for the 2026-27 season.

There are a lot of transfers, as has been the case throughout the tenure of Rick Pitino. Some of those players, specifically Keyshawn Hall and Reed Bailey, are seeking a fifth year of eligibility via the 5-in-5 rules that have been passed.

But they are also dipping into the international market. With that comes some complications on eligibility, which has been a major topic of discussion involving the Red Storm in the weeks leading up to the season.

Point guard Quinn Ellis is from Great Britain and was cleared before the preseason opener against the Drexel Dragons. But Babacar Sane has been the player focused on the most. A former member of the G League Ignite, there are a lot of questions surrounding his eligibility after he signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Utah Jazz a few years ago.

Rick Pitino confident he will have full roster available

Oct 1, 2026; New York, NY, USA; St. John's Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino speaks at 2026 Big East Media Day at Marriott Marquis. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

However, it isn’t something that Pitino is overly concerned about. During a recent Zoom session, he revealed a positive outlook on the situation. He believes that Sane and the entire team will be available this season.

"Babacar I think will be fine, I think we'll have a full team,” Pitino said to St. John’s Red Storm On SI.

There are players who had similar circumstances to Sane that have gained clearance, even a few former G League Ignite members. However, Providence Friars fans will point out that no case is the same after Dink Pate wasn’t going to get clearance and returned to the G League.

Rick Pitino on Babacar Sane’s eligibility today:

"Babacar I think will be fine, I think we'll have a full team”#SJUBB

— Nick Ziegler (@NickZiegler20) October 23, 2026

Sane has a hearing set for Nov. 9, which will determine his fate. That means he will be eligible to play in the final exhibition game against the Texas Longhorns and the first two regular season games against the Monmouth Hawks on Nov. 2 at Carnesecca Arena and the Iona Gaels on Nov. 8 at Madison Square Garden.

Having Sane in the lineup would be a huge boost to the program. He is raw and has some development to do, but his upside is incredibly high. His size, listed at 6-foot-7, will open up a world of possibilities for Pitino with his lineup combinations once he starts to grow into the kind of player he is capable of being.

As of now, the entire roster is eligible to play. Pitino believes that will remain the case, which gives him one of the most talented rosters in the country.