St. John's in Serious Talks with Iona HC Rick Pitino

According to ESPN.com, St. John’s is in serious discussions with Iona’s Rick Pitino to become the school’s next head coach.

The two sides reportedly had a productive meeting Sunday, where Pitino laid out his vision for the program.

The 70-year-old has spent the past three years as Iona’s head man. This season saw Pitino lead the Gaels to a 27-8 record before falling to UConn 87-63 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

St. John’s, meanwhile, missed the Tournament for the fourth consecutive season under former head coach Mike Anderson, who was fired on March 10. The school has made two Final Fours in its history and has qualified for the Tournament just three times since 2002.

Pitino, who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013, is the only coach in NCAA basketball history to lead three programs to the Final Four – Kentucky, Louisville, and Providence. The New York native has won 711 career college games, including two National Championships.

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