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St. John’s has offered Rick Pitino a restructured contract that would bump his pay to make him the second-highest paid coach in the Big East behind UConn’s Dan Hurley, sources confirmed to NJ Advance Media.
The offer was submitted to Pitino’s Evan Daniels, and the Hall of Fame coach has not yet seen it.
“Yes [they made an offer], but I haven’t signed it or seen it,” Pitino told NJ Advance Media via text.
Pitino is focused on defending St. John’s Big East Tournament title. The No. 1 Red Storm open Thursday at noon against No. 8 Providence.
Pitino has 910 career on-court wins, third all-time behind Mike Krzyzewski and Jim Boeheim.
The contract news was first reported by Newsday.
Pitino, 73, is in the third year of a six-year deal worth about $20 million, according to the New York Post, which also reported that Pitino is the sixth highest-paid coach in the Big East.
Hurley, Pitino’s top rival in the league, signed a six-year, $50 million deal to remain in college after spurning the L.A. Lakers in 2024.
St. John’s super-booster Mike Repole said recently they will eventually tear up the current contract and give him a new one.
“He’s the highest paid coach over 70 years old in college basketball,” Repole said last month on the “Eye on the Storm” podcast. “He’s the highest paid coach in the Big East over 70. But the reality is, embarrassingly...he’s at the lower half of the Big East. What was a decent contract maybe three years ago is an embarrassing contract today.
“And let’s be clear, it’s not about the money. Rick Pitino does not need the money, but it’s the principle behind what you’re doing. It’s the appreciation of what he’s done for the school, the university, the basketball Madison Square Garden, New York as a whole, the alumni, the fan base, everything...
“The right thing to do is, let’s rip up the contract. Let’s get him a new three-year agreement. Let’s keep him here as long as he wants because we want him here as long as he wants, and let him continue to work his magic.”
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