St. John’s Basketball Shockingly Not Listed as Contender by Hall of Famer

A member of the Naismith Hall of Fame doesn't see the St. John's Red Storm as a contender right now.

Mar 13, 2026; New York, NY, USA; St. John's Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino coaches against the Seton Hall Pirates during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The St. John’s Red Storm men’s basketball team has turned into a powerhouse once again under head coach Rick Pitino.

Entering his fourth season at the helm, he has made the Red Storm into a national program, helping bring them back to a level they haven’t experienced in a long time. Using the resources available to him, such as playing at Madison Square Garden and a great stream of NIL money, St. John’s is back in the national spotlight.

Coming off back-to-back campaigns with at least 30 wins, expectations are once again high in Queens. However, not everyone is convinced that Pitino has the kind of squad that can compete for a national title.

Over at ESPN, Hall of Famer Dick Vitale shared 12 storylines to keep an eye on heading into the 2026-27 men’s college basketball season. One of the topics was the new 76-team tournament, where Vitale shared which teams he believes are national title contenders.

Dick Vitale does not see St. John's as current title contender

Mar 26, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; St. John's Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino speaks with the media during a press conference ahead of the east regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Not among that group is the Red Storm. Vitale has listed the Florida Gators, Duke Blue Devils, Illinois Fighting Illini, UConn Huskies, Texas Longhorns, Tennessee Volunteers, Michigan Wolverines, Michigan State Spartans, Arizona Wildcats and Louisville Cardinals as his title contenders.

While certainly talented teams, a strong argument can be made that St. John’s deserves to be amongst that group. However, given the state of the roster right now, it is easy to see why Vitale would leave them off that group.

There is still some off-the-court work for the Red Storm to sift through. Eligibility rulings are going to have a massive impact on the upside this team has. If things go their way, they are in the conversation as having the best team in the country.

Babacar Sane has sued the NCAA over his eligibility ruling. There is precedent to allow him to have two years of college eligibility, but the Exhibit 10 deal that he signed with the Utah Jazz a few years ago is a legitimate holdup.

Keyshawn Hall and Reed Bailey are awaiting decisions on their eligibility as fifth-year seniors looking to take advantage of the new 5-in-5 rules. Hall participated in the NBA summer league with the Miami Heat, but never signed an Exhibit 10 deal.

Eligiblity rulings will determine St. John's ceiling

Auburn Tigers forward Keyshawn Hall (7) dunks the ball as Auburn Tigers take on Wofford Terriers at Neville Arena in Auburn, Ala. on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. Auburn Tigers defeated Wofford Terriers 93-62. / USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Quinn Ellis is another international player who is hoping to gain eligibility.

If all four of them are cleared to play, Pitino is working with arguably the most talented roster he has with St. John’s. They have the No. 1-ranked transfer portal class, headlined by Tounde Yessoufou, a five-star player who was with the Baylor Bears for his freshman year.

Kyle Cuffe Jr. of the Mercer Bears and Avery Brown of the Columbia Lions are also part of that transfer class with Hall and Reed.

The Red Storm also has Ian Jackson and Ruben Prey returning from last season’s rotation, and both are poised for big seasons in Year 2 under Pitino.