St. John's Coach Rick Pitino Unfazed by Booster's Contract Suggestion

Billionaire booster Mike Repole proposed replacing Pitino's contract, but the coach says he's focused on the season.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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St. John's head basketball coach Rick Pitino is not concerned about his contract status despite comments made by billionaire booster Mike Repole suggesting the university should consider replacing Pitino's current deal. Pitino says he is focused on the current season and is not making any plans to leave St. John's.

Why it matters

Pitino's contract status has become a topic of discussion due to Repole's public comments, which could create potential distractions for the team as they compete this season. However, Pitino appears unfazed and is maintaining his focus on coaching the team.

The details

Repole, a major donor to St. John's athletics, suggested this week that the university should consider replacing Pitino's current contract. However, Pitino says he is not focused on his contract situation and is instead concentrating on the current season and his team's performance.

  • The comments from Repole were made this week.

The players

Rick Pitino

The head basketball coach of the St. John's Red Storm.

Mike Repole

A billionaire booster and major donor to St. John's athletics.

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What they’re saying

“I'm not making any plans to move anywhere or do anything, so if it happens, it happens.”

— Rick Pitino, Head Coach (New York Daily News)

The takeaway

Despite the public comments from a prominent booster, Pitino appears unfazed and is maintaining his focus on coaching the St. John's team through the current season rather than getting distracted by contract discussions.