The preseason hype round St. John’s has reached an all-time excessive.
St. John’s is No. 5 within the Related Press’ first High 25 ballot, marking the very best preseason rating in program historical past.
The one colleges forward of Rick Pitino’s Crimson Storm are No. 1 Purdue, No. 2 Houston, No. 3 Florida and No. 4 UConn.
St. John’s had by no means positioned increased than No. 7 within the preseason ballot. It was No. 7 earlier than the 1984-85 season, a yr during which the Johnnies surged to their second — and most up-to-date — journey to the Last 4.
That is the primary time St. John’s has appeared within the AP’s preseason High 25 since earlier than the 1999-2000 season, when it was No. 18.
This yr’s preseason recognition follows a 2024-25 marketing campaign during which St. John’s gained its first outright Huge East championship since 1985 and its first convention event title since 2000.
After being upset as a No. 2 seed within the second spherical of the NCAA Match by Arkansas, St. John’s retooled within the offseason with a switch class that 247Sports ranked as the very best of any program.
The newcomers embody guard Ian Jackson, forwards Bryce Hopkins and Dillon Mitchell, and sharpshooters Joson Sanon and Oziyah Sellers.
That group joins returning senior ahead Zuby Ejiofor, who final season averaged 14.7 factors and a team-high 8.1 rebounds per recreation to make the All-Huge East first crew.
The AP ballot is extra bullish than that of KenPom, an analytics-based web site that ranks St. John’s No. 16 to start the season. KenPom did, nonetheless, rank Pitino as No. 5 on its checklist of lively head coaches.
St. John’s and UConn are two of the three Huge East groups to look within the AP’s preseason ballot, together with Creighton, which is No. 23.
The Johnnies are getting into their third season beneath Pitino, who was the 2024-25 Naismith Coach of the 12 months.
The common season begins on Nov. 3 with a recreation in opposition to Quinnipiac at Carnesecca Area, adopted by a Nov. 8 assembly with No. 15 Alabama at Madison Sq. Backyard.
