St. John's Basketball Correctly Seen as a Team With Very High Floor

What does the floor look like for St. John's basketball heading into the season?

Mar 27, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; St. John's Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino reacts in the first half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The St. John’s Red Storm are getting set for the start of the season, and expectations will once again be high for the program. 

Since the hiring of Rick Pitino a few years ago, St. John’s basketball has been back on the map. After missing the NCAA Tournament in his first year in somewhat controversial fashion, the Red Storm have made it each of the last two years. 

Furthermore, while success in March is the ultimate goal for the team, they have been able to prove that they are one of the best teams in the Big East now. With two straight years of having at least 30 wins and winning the conference both times, things have turned around for the better. 

Now, as the team gets set for this coming season, they will be hoping to take another step forward. 

Myron Medcalf of ESPN recently wrote about the floor for St. John’s with the season closing in. For the program,  they should be very encouraged with a floor projection of 25 wins. 

Program Has Turned Around

Mar 27, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; St. John's Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino reacts with guard Dylan Darling (0) in the second half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It is pretty remarkable the caliber of program that St. John’s has been able to become under Pitino. This was a group that struggled for a long time, but now has established itself not only as one of the teams to beat in the Big East, but the entire country. 

Pitino has been able to turn things around quickly thanks to the excellent work he has done in the transfer portal. Getting players who are experienced and capable of helping right away has helped turn things around. 

This offseason was no different for the Red Storm, adding a plethora of talent in the portal. However, with some eligibility concerns, who will be able to play for them is yet to be determined. 

A lot for the team will depend on that, but seeing the floor being extremely high is encouraging. A 25-win season in the past would have been seen as a fantastic campaign. Now, it being considered a floor is a great thing to see for the program. 

With a high floor and a ceiling that could perhaps result in them being a national title contender, this could be a special year for St. John’s. Hopefully, the eligibility questions will resolve itself soon, as that will really be the telling thing for the team this year. If everyone can play, winning 30 games for a third straight year is well within reach.