College Sports

A Tale of Two Pitinos Highlights College Basketball’s New Reality

Rick Pitino is rebuilding at St. John’s, where he’ll have competition in the Big East from his son Richard, who is the new coach at Xavier.

By David Rumsey

Mar 26, 2025 | 05:35 pm

Nov 17, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New Mexico Lobos head coach Richard Pitino and St. John's Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino greet each other prior to the start of the game at Madison Square Garden.

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Last weekend, Rick Pitino and his son Richard both coached teams that were eliminated from March Madness in the second round.

But both coaches are getting nice consolation prizes.

St. John’s just signed a top transfer portal player, Joson Sanon from Arizona State, and Richard Pitino, who spent the last four seasons at New Mexico, has been hired as the new coach at Xavier, where he’ll coach against his father in the Big East.

The news cycle around the Pitinos showcases the new reality of the fast-moving world that is college basketball. Continuity is rare for both players and coaches these days, with top programs ready to poach the best talent available, no matter the cost.

This season, St. John’s won the Big East and earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament thanks to a roster built with millions of NIL (name, image, and likeness) dollars from billionaire backer Mike Repole, the founder of BodyArmor, and now the majority stakeholder of NoBull.

Details of Richard Pitino’s new contract at Xavier are not available, but the school will pay New Mexico a buyout of $375,000.

Coaches on the Move

The college hoops coaching carousel has been in full swing this month.

Even before the tournament began, Will Wade admitted he was exploring the NC State job that he ultimately took, after two seasons at McNeese State.

Meanwhile, Minnesota poached Colorado State coach Niko Medved, West Virginia hired Ross Hodge from North Texas, and Iowa hired Ben McCollum from Drake.