St. John's Offers Rick Pitino Lucrative Contract to Reach 1,000 Wins

The deal would make Pitino the second-highest paid coach in the Big East conference.

Mar. 11, 2026 at 11:21pm

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According to multiple sources, St. John's University has offered legendary basketball coach Rick Pitino a restructured and lucrative contract that would keep him at the school until he reaches 1,000 career wins. The deal would make Pitino the second-highest paid coach in the Big East conference, behind only Connecticut's Dan Hurley.

Why it matters

Retaining Pitino, who has publicly stated St. John's will be his last coaching job, would provide stability and continuity for the Red Storm program as they look to build on recent success and compete for a Big East championship. Pitino reaching the 1,000-win milestone at St. John's would cement his legacy as one of the greatest college basketball coaches of all time.

The details

The contract offer from St. John's would significantly increase Pitino's salary, putting him behind only UConn's Dan Hurley among Big East coaches in terms of compensation. While an agreement has not yet been reached, both sides are reportedly optimistic that a deal will get done, potentially even this week. Pitino has publicly stated that he plans to remain at St. John's and does not intend to retire anytime soon.

  • Pitino reached 900 career wins with a victory over Xavier on January 24, 2026.
  • The contract negotiations between St. John's and Pitino are currently ongoing.

The players

Rick Pitino

A legendary college basketball coach who has led several programs to national championships, including Louisville and Kentucky. Pitino is nearing the 1,000-win milestone in his career.

Dan Hurley

The head coach of the University of Connecticut men's basketball team, who is currently the highest-paid coach in the Big East conference.

St. John's University

A private Catholic university located in Queens, New York, with a storied men's basketball program that is looking to return to national prominence under Pitino's leadership.

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What they’re saying

“St. John's will be my last job. It's either remaining in Queens or retiring, and all indications are that I don't plan to hang it up just yet.”

— Rick Pitino

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

Retaining a legendary coach like Rick Pitino would be a major coup for St. John's, as they look to build a championship-caliber program and provide stability for their basketball team. Pitino's potential 1,000th win at St. John's would cement his legacy as one of the all-time great college basketball coaches.