Why Quinn Ellis Will Be a Player to Watch for St. John's Basketball This Season

The St. John’s Red Storm are set to kick off the season on Monday against Monmouth University, and the hope will be that this is the start of a special season.

Since Rick Pitino came in as the head coach of the Red Storm, the narrative around the program has completely changed. St. John’s went from being one of the worst teams in the Big East to now back-to-back Big East Champions.

Pitino deserves a ton of credit for coming in and changing the culture. Now, as the team enters year four with him on the sidelines, they will be seeking a three-peat in the Big East and success in the NCAA Tournament.

With a very talented roster, St. John’s is going to be a final four contender, and there is certainly a path for them to win it all. There is no shortage of talented players on this roster, but one of the more important is going to be one of their talented guards.

CJ Moore of The Athletic (subscription required) recently wrote about the player to watch for St. John’s this season being point guard Quinn Ellis.

Ellis Has Major Upside

St. John's Red Storm guard Quinn Ellis making a layup — Oct 25, 2026; New York, NY, USA; St. John's Red Storm guard Quinn Ellis (4) drives to the basket in the second half against the Texas Longhorns at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With a lot of experience as a starting guard overseas, Ellis is coming into college basketball as an older player and one who is going to make an impact right away.

On a team that is littered with scorers, it is going to be Ellis who is doing a lot of the facilitating. The talented point guard is a true floor general, and he is undoubtedly going to be leading this team in assists.

So far, St. John’s looks like a team that is going to be playing with some serious pace, and that will set up Ellis well to lead the group in transition. Even though he is a tall point guard, he has excellent speed and athleticism, and he will be a major weapon for the team in the open court.

Furthermore, while his passing ability is top-notch, he is also one of the better rebounders and defenders on the team as well.

Overall, there is a ton to like about Ellis’ game coming into the regular season. Good point guard play was an issue for the team last year, but that won’t be an issue this coming year.

Ellis has the potential to be one of the best guards in the country, and there is reason to believe that he will live up to those expectations and then some.

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