St. John’s won the Big East regular season and tournament titles in Year 2 under Rick Pitino and secured a No. 2 seed for the NCAA Tournament. Then, after a second-round loss to Arkansas, the Red Storm got serious about getting better.
For Pitino, not even great is good enough.
Following a 31-win season — the most for St. John’s since 1986 — the 72-year old legend is coming back for more in 2025-26 with a roster defined by the retention of Zuby Ejiofor (+5000 to win the Wooden Award at FanDuel) and much-needed perimeter shooting upgrades.
Big East Player of the Year RJ Luis had another season of eligibility remaining but is gone to the Utah Jazz on a two-way contract, and guard Simeon Wilcher left for Texas after logging 25.4 minutes per game. Point guards Kadary Richmond and Deion Smith ran out of eligibility, as did starting forward Aaron Scott.
Just one of seven players who averaged more than 10 minutes per game is back. But it’s a big one, as Zuby Ejiofor returns to patrol the paint after earning all-Big East honors. Arriving to fill the gaps around him is 247Sports’ top-ranked transfer class. Among the biggest questions: will North Carolina transfer Ian Jackson (+12000 to win the Wooden Award at FanDuel) morph into a point guard? Or will he wind up as more of a scoring specialist with Idaho State transfer Dylan Darling emerging to earn a starting role? Also, can Providence transfer Bryce Hopkins reclaim his once-promising trajectory and play at an all-Big East level?
With college basketball’s player movement all but done, it’s time to start breaking down the rosters of the sport’s top programs. For this installment, we’re taking a look at St. John’s, the No. 1 team in the the early CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 rankings and trying to decipher what its lineup could look like when the season begins.
The promising resurgence of St. John’s short-circuited a few rounds too early in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. So Rick Pitino hit the transfer portal — hard. The Red Storm added Ian Jackson and Bryce Hopkins and with Zuby Ejifor returning, they look poised to dominate the Big East (and the nation) again. But will they? Special guest John Fanta helps break down the Red Storm’s chances on the inaugural episode of 2025 Summer Shootaround!
Projected starting lineup
1. Ian Jackson | 6-4 | 190 | So.
Jackson earned ACC all-freshman honors last season at North Carolina while proving to be an electric offensive option. Most encouraging for St. John’s is that he can stroke it from the outside. Jackson drilled 39.8% of his 3-pointers while showing proficiency off the dribble and as a catch-and-shoot threat. He didn’t look like a true point guard at UNC last season, but he was sharing the backcourt with ball-dominant guards RJ Davis and Elliot Cadeau. This year, he’ll get a chance to show the depth of his game.
2. Joson Sanon | 6-5 | 195 | So.
Sanon showed ample offensive potential as a freshman at Arizona State, averaging 11.9 points on 36.9% 3-point shooting. His perimeter efficiency tapered off in Big 12 play, and he often struggled at the rim. But Sanon’s capability and confidence as an outside shooter were apparent in five games when he made three or more triples. His upside is reflected by his +15000 odds at FanDuel to win the Wooden Award.
3. Bryce Hopkins | 6-7 | 220 | Gr.
Hopkins played just 17 games over the past two seasons amid injuries after taking the Big East by storm at Providence in 2022-23. If he can stay healthy, Hopkins will be a versatile forward who presents matchup problems for opposing defenses because of his multi-level scoring ability. At +6500 to win the Wooden Award per FanDuel, Hopkins is a high-ceiling wild card who could determine the Red Storm’s potential.
4. Dillon Mitchell 6-8 | 210 | Sr.
Mitchell was Cincinnati’s best defender in his lone season with the Bearcats following two years at Texas. The former five-star prospect brings 106 high-major starts to the Red Storm’s frontcourt. Though limited offensively, his elite athleticism makes him a great lob threat and a great finisher on pocket passes and offensive rebounds.
5. Zuby Ejiofor | 6-9 | 240 | Sr.
The Big East’s Most Improved Player is back for more after a breakout junior season. Ejiofor is a terror on the offensive glass and great in post-ups. Defensively, he’s versatile enough to both protect the rim and hold his own on the perimeter. Ejiofor’s combination of strength and touch is a problem for most every opponent. Look for Ejiofor to be this team’s soul in 2025-26 and contend for Big East Player of the Year.
Off the bench
Oziyah Sellers 6-5 | 185 | Sr.
Sellers glowed up in a major way during his junior season at Stanford following two years as a bench option at USC. He shined as a spot-up option for the Cardinal, drilling 40.1% of his 4.2 long-range attempts per contest. He finished as the team’s second-leading scorer at 13.7 points per game.
Dylan Darling | 6-1 | 180 | R-Jr.
Darling dished out 5.7 assists for Idaho State and finished third in the league at 19.8 points per game last season. He’s accustomed to playing with the ball in his hands, and he gets to the rim a lot. Darling is this team’s most natural point guard, and his ability to finish inside against more physical competition could be a swing factor in whether he can win and retain a starting job.
Ruben Prey | 6-10 | 230 | So.
Prey logged 10+ minutes 10 times last season and brings depth to the frontcourt as a second-year player with some rim-protecting and floor-spacing potential.
Sadiku Ibine Ayo | 6-6 | 215 | Sr.
The Red Storm relied on Ayo to play 30+ minutes in a pair of late-season Big East wins over DePaul and Seton Hall. He rose to the occasion both times as an athletic wing who can shoot.
Lefteris Liotopoulos | 6-4 | 200 | So.
Liotopoulos logged 15+ minutes in four of the Johnnies’ final six games last season. The Greek shooting guard is just now turning 19 and is likely still a long-term developmental play for the Red Storm.
Filling out the roster
St. John’s rounded out its roster with four-star freshman signee in Kelvin Odih, Austrian wing Imran Suljanović and guard Casper Pohto from powerhouse Sunrise Christian Academy in Kansas. NAIA transfer Handje Tamba will bring depth to the frontcourt after previously spending time at Tennessee and playing off the bench at Weber State.
- Imran Suljanović | 6-8 | 200 | Fr.
- Kelvin Odih | 6-4 | 190 | Fr.
- Casper Pohto | 6-4 | N/A | Fr.
- Handje Tamba | 6-11 | 230 | Gr.
Market watch
St. John’s odds to win 2026 NCAA Tournament (via Fanduel): +1900
St. John’s ranked No. 347 nationally in 3-point percentage last season at 30.1%, making just 6.1 triples per contest. Yet, in spite of that glaring deficiency, Pitino guided the Red Storm to its first outright Big East regular-season title since 1985. Heading into a new season, that problem has been addressed through the nation’s No. 1 transfer class.
It’s a diverse haul of talented and proven players that will combine with Ejiofor to give the Johnnies legitimate national title potential. Jackson demonstrated elite scoring chops at North Carolina last season, even while sharing a backcourt with more-established players. Now, he should be free to hunt buckets and run the show for the Johnnies. Darling and Sanon are also high-potential perimeter options that Pitino will need to maximize. Sellers and Mitchell are excellent complimentary pieces with loads of high-major experience and will help ensure a high floor.
Then, there’s Hopkins. The former Providence star is a wild card. If healthy and effective, he could be a swing factor in whether the Red Storm can be even better in Pitino’s third season.
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