Rick Pitino Reveals High Expectations for Star Guard Kadary Richmond

NEW YORK, N.Y. — St. John's coach Rick Pitino has voiced high expectations for guard Kadary Richmond, emphasizing the significant financial investment the team made in securing his transfer. In the debut episode of the documentary series “Pitino: Red Storm Rising,” which aired Tuesday night on Vice Sports, Pitino detailed how Richmond’s contract played a critical role in his decision to leave Seton Hall for St. John’s.

“Kadary came here … look, he wanted to play for me,” Pitino said. “But we paid him a lot of money. We gave him a very large contract. If Seton Hall gave him the same contract, he would’ve stayed at Seton Hall.” Reports indicate that Richmond received a high six-figure NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) deal, making him one of the top players in the transfer portal.

Richmond’s performance on the court has matched expectations, as he has emerged as a strong contender for Big East Player of the Year alongside Creighton‘s Ryan Kalkbrenner and Marquette‘s Kam Jones. The Big East coaches will cast votes for the award. While opinions among St. John’s players vary on who deserves it more, one assistant coach suggested Richmond’s impact is evident. “Kadary probably has a better chance,” the assistant said, noting that Seton Hall has struggled since losing Richmond. “Seton Hall is a completely different team without him.”

Richmond is currently averaging 12.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.0 assists, with a shooting percentage of 49% from the field and 21% from three-point range. While Pitino has praised Richmond’s mid-range skills, he acknowledged that the guard needs to improve his long-range shooting to reach his full potential.

“If you don’t spend hours upon hours by yourself at night, you’re not changing anything,” Pitino stated in the documentary. “It’s a matter of how strong do you want to make the changes.” He added, “Kadary’s a very talented basketball player that will not reach his potential unless he changes that jump shot.”

Despite his promising talent, Richmond is not listed on major NBA mock drafts, partly due to his shooting challenges. However, St. John’s associate head coach Steve Masiello highlighted Richmond’s versatility, stating, “He affects the game in multiple ways. We know he can score the ball, and he’s an elite level passer. He makes everyone around him better.”

Richmond’s aspirations extend beyond college basketball, as he hopes to make a splash in the NBA while leading St. John’s to success during March Madness. He reflected, “Basketball changed my life for the better. It took me places I never thought I’d go growing up in Brooklyn. The main goal is winning on the big stage and portraying my talents.”

St. John’s is currently riding a 10-game winning streak and is expected to be a 3 or 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament. However, Pitino offered a cautious outlook for the postseason, saying, “I don’t have any illusions of grandeur with this basketball team. Can they make the NCAA? Yes. Can they go far? Yes. Can they not make it? Yes.”

The Red Storm will face Villanova in an upcoming matchup as they aim to solidify their tournament position.