Rick Pitino is not a patient man. If you watched St. John's last year, you saw a team that won 31 games—the most for the program since the mid-80s—and yet, the legendary coach still went out and replaced almost everybody. He basically hit the reset button on a roster that was already top-25 caliber.
Honestly, it’s kind of wild.
Most coaches would kill for a 31-win foundation. Pitino? He looked at the perimeter shooting and the lack of a true, downhill point guard and decided to overhaul the entire thing. The result is the St. John's Red Storm roster for the 2025-26 season, a group that currently sits with the No. 1 ranked transfer class in the country according to ESPN and 247Sports.
If you’re a Red Storm fan, you’ve probably spent the last few months trying to keep track of who stayed and who left. It’s a lot. We lost RJ Luis Jr. to the Utah Jazz and Kadary Richmond graduated. But what Pitino brought in to replace them isn't just "good"—it’s arguably the most talented collection of individual players to wear the red and white in decades.
🔗 Read more: Louisiana State University Football Schedule 2024: Why the Hype Didn't Match the Finish
The Return of the Soul: Zuby Ejiofor
Before we talk about the flashy new transfers, we have to talk about Zuby Ejiofor. He is the heartbeat of this team. While eight players from last year's squad departed, Ejiofor stayed put, and he’s been rewarded with Preseason Big East Player of the Year honors.
He’s a 6-9, 245-pound monster in the paint. Last season, he emerged as a force, averaging roughly 15 points and 8 rebounds, but his impact goes beyond the box score. He’s the guy who anchors the defense and sets the tone for Pitino's high-pressure system. If St. John's is going to make a deep run in March, it starts with Zuby.
Joining him in the "returning" category are a few guys who might surprise people. Sadiku Ibine Ayo is back as a senior captain. He doesn't always put up huge numbers, but his athleticism at 6-6 makes him a defensive Swiss Army knife. Then you have the European sophomores, Ruben Prey (a 6-11 forward from Portugal) and Lefteris Liotopoulos (a 6-4 guard from Greece), who provide much-needed depth and continuity in a locker room full of new faces.
The Transfer Portal Haul: A "Who's Who" of Talent
Pitino didn't just recruit; he went shopping for specific skill sets. The biggest name is undoubtedly Bryce Hopkins.
🔗 Read more: UGA Injury Report Today: What Really Happened to the Bulldogs Roster
You might remember him from Providence, where he was an All-Big East First Team selection back in 2023. He’s 6-7, built like a linebacker, and can score from anywhere on the court. The catch? He’s only played 17 games over the last two years due to a nasty knee injury. If he’s 100%, he’s a lottery-level talent. If he’s not, the Red Storm have a very expensive question mark on the wing.
The New Backcourt
The biggest weakness last year was outside shooting. It was frustrating to watch. To fix it, Pitino brought in a trio of snipers:
- Ian Jackson: The Bronx native comes home after a year at North Carolina. He’s a former 5-star recruit and a McDonald’s All-American. He shot nearly 40% from deep at UNC and brings that NYC swagger back to Queens.
- Joson Sanon: A 6-5 sophomore from Arizona State. He averaged 11.9 points as a freshman and proved he can create his own shot when the shot clock is winding down.
- Oziyah Sellers: A senior transfer from Stanford (by way of USC). He’s a pure catch-and-shoot threat who hit 40.1% of his threes last year.
Then there’s the wildcard: Dylan Darling. He was the Big Sky Player of the Year at Idaho State, averaging nearly 20 points and 6 assists. He’s the only "true" point guard on the roster. Whether he can handle the jump from the Big Sky to the Big East is going to be the story of the early season.
The Depth and the "Dirty Work" Guys
You can't win in the Big East with just scorers. You need guys who will dive for loose balls and protect the rim when Zuby is in foul trouble.
Dillon Mitchell is that guy. He’s a 6-8 senior who transferred in from Cincinnati (and Texas before that). He’s not a shooter—don’t expect him to stretch the floor—but he is an elite athlete. He led the country in dunks at one point and is a relentless rebounder. He’ll likely start at the four-spot next to Zuby.
For backup center minutes, keep an eye on Handje Tamba. He’s 6-11 and has bounced around from Tennessee to Weber State to an NAIA school (Milligan) where he was the Defensive Player of the Year. He’s big, he’s mean, and he gives Pitino five fouls to use against the bigger centers in the league.
The Freshmen
While the transfers get the headlines, Pitino did bring in some young blood. Kelvin Odih is a 4-star wing who was originally heading to West Virginia before their coaching change. He’s physically ready for the college game right now. Rounding out the roster are international freshmen Fotis Konstantinidis (Greece), Casper Pohto (Sweden), and Imran Suljanovic (Austria).
💡 You might also like: Atlanta Falcons at Green Bay Packers: Why the Lambeau Mystique Still Matters
St. John's Red Storm Roster: The Projected Rotation
If you're trying to figure out who's actually going to play, here's how the minutes will likely shake out. Pitino usually runs a 9-man rotation, especially once the Big East schedule hits Madison Square Garden and Carnesecca Arena.
- Point Guard: Dylan Darling / Ian Jackson (who will handle the ball plenty)
- Shooting Guard: Ian Jackson / Joson Sanon
- Small Forward: Bryce Hopkins / Oziyah Sellers
- Power Forward: Dillon Mitchell / Sadiku Ibine Ayo
- Center: Zuby Ejiofor / Handje Tamba / Ruben Prey
Why This Roster is Different
Usually, when a team has 11 newcomers, you expect a slow start. But this isn't a normal group of freshmen. Pitino has assembled what is essentially an All-Star team of high-major veterans.
There’s a massive amount of "Big East experience" here between Hopkins and Ejiofor. There’s high-level ACC experience with Jackson. There’s Pac-12/Big 12 experience with Sellers and Mitchell. This is a "win-now" roster built for a coach who knows his window at 73 years old isn't open forever.
The non-conference schedule is brutal—Alabama at the Garden, Baylor and Iowa State in Vegas, and a massive homecoming game against Kentucky in Atlanta. These games will test whether this collection of stars can actually play as a team. If the chemistry clicks, this roster isn't just a Big East contender; they are a legitimate threat to make the Final Four.
Actionable Insights for Red Storm Fans:
- Watch the Point Guard Battle: Keep a close eye on Dylan Darling in the first few games. If he struggles with the speed of Big East defenses, expect Pitino to shift Ian Jackson or Joson Sanon into more of a primary ball-handling role, which changes the team's spacing.
- Monitor Bryce Hopkins' Health: His knee is the $1 million question. If he shows his old explosiveness early in the November slate, the Red Storm's ceiling goes from "Top 25" to "National Title Contender."
- Check the Ticket Office: With games at Madison Square Garden against Alabama, Ole Miss, and Iona, this is the hardest ticket to get in Queens in a long time. If you want to see this roster in person, book early for the Big East home openers.
- Follow the Defense: Pitino’s teams live and die by the "deflection" stat. Watch how Dillon Mitchell and Kelvin Odih disrupt passing lanes—their defensive energy will be the catalyst for the fast-break points this roster is designed to score.