Rick Pitino claims star player will force him to retire

The legendary coach isn't a fan of coaching without Zuby Ejiofor.

Feb. 7, 2026 at 5:47pm

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According to FOX Sports, St. John's head coach Rick Pitino said something unexpected after his team's upset win over UConn on Friday night. Pitino told his star big man Zuby Ejiofor, "You know you're going to make me retire?" The comment was meant to quantify how important Ejiofor is to the St. John's team and Pitino's reluctance to coach without him.

Why it matters

Pitino's comment reveals the close relationship between the coach and his star player, as well as Pitino's potential retirement plans being tied to Ejiofor's future. This upset win over a top-5 ranked opponent also has major implications for St. John's standing in the Big East conference and NCAA Tournament hopes.

The details

St. John's, ranked No. 22, upset Big East rival No. 3 UConn in a Madison Square Garden matchup on Friday night. Ejiofor had an impressive stat line with 21 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, three blocks and two steals. The quality win moves St. John's to 18-5 overall and 11-1 in the Big East, just half a game back of UConn in the standings. With eight games left, St. John's holds a modest lead over No. 3 Villanova, setting up an important rematch with UConn on February 25th with serious Big East and NCAA Tournament implications.

  • On Friday night, St. John's upset UConn in Madison Square Garden.
  • St. John's currently sits at 18-5 overall and 11-1 in the Big East, just half a game back of UConn.
  • St. John's will travel to Storrs, Connecticut to face UConn again on February 25th.

The players

Rick Pitino

The head coach of the St. John's men's basketball team, a legendary coach who is currently tied for third on the all-time wins list by a head coach with 903 wins.

Zuby Ejiofor

The star big man for the St. John's Red Storm, who transferred from Kansas and has been a staple of the team since the 2024-25 season when he earned All-Big East honors and led St. John's to a Big East conference title and a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament.

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What they’re saying

“You know you're going to make me retire?”

— Rick Pitino, Head Coach, St. John's

What’s next

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The takeaway

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