St. John's Rick Pitino Becomes Big East's Second-Highest Paid Coach

Pitino signs amended contract after leading Red Storm to Sweet Sixteen

Mar. 29, 2026 at 10:19pm

St. John's head coach Rick Pitino, 73, has signed a new amended contract that will make him the second-highest paid head men's basketball coach in the Big East conference, behind only UConn's Dan Hurley. This comes after Pitino led the Red Storm to the Sweet Sixteen in his first season with the program, where they fell to top overall seed Duke.

Why it matters

Pitino is a legendary college basketball coach with multiple national championships, but at 73 years old, this new contract extension signals St. John's commitment to keeping him as the face of their program as they look to build on their recent tournament success and compete with the top teams in the Big East.

The details

According to CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein, Pitino's amended deal will make him the second-highest paid coach in the Big East, behind only UConn's Dan Hurley. The details of the contract were not disclosed, but the move comes after Pitino led St. John's to the Sweet Sixteen in his first season with the program, where they ultimately fell to top overall seed Duke.

  • Pitino signed the amended contract on March 29, 2026.
  • St. John's lost to Duke in the Sweet Sixteen on March 28, 2026.

The players

Rick Pitino

The 73-year-old head coach of the St. John's Red Storm men's basketball team.

Dan Hurley

The head coach of the UConn Huskies men's basketball team, who is the highest paid coach in the Big East.

Duke

The top overall seed in the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, who defeated St. John's in the Sweet Sixteen.

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What they’re saying

“This report will be updated.”

— Alex Byington, Author

The takeaway

Pitino's new contract extension solidifies his status as one of the highest paid and most respected coaches in the Big East, as St. John's looks to build on their recent tournament success and compete with the conference's elite programs under his leadership.