Rick Pitino minimizes NIL's impact on St. John's triumph

St. John's head coach Rick Pitino downplayed the impact of name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals on the team's recent success after winning the Big East Tournament. He stated that key players are not highly compensated, contradicting claims that NIL was a major factor. Despite Pitino's comments, reports indicate that billionaire alum Mike Repole has significantly funded St. John's NIL initiatives, contributing to a payroll of around $4 million, the highest in the Big East. Repole has pledged to match donations for the men's basketball team. Under Pitino's leadership, St. John's has improved its performance, winning over 30 games in a season for the first time since 2018-19. The team’s success is attributed to both coaching and financial support from Repole.