St. John’s Rick Pitino and Auburn’s Bruce Pearl made history Friday, becoming the first coaches to share the Associated Press Coach of the Year award. Pitino is the first St. John’s coach to receive the honor, while Pearl is Auburn’s second.
Rick Pitino Accepts AP Coach of the Year Award
Pitino and Pearl were announced as co-winners and were both present to accept the award. Each coach received 20 votes, according to the AP.
The remaining votes went to Louisville’s Pat Kelsey (eight), Duke’s Jon Scheyer (five), Missouri’s Dennis Gates (three), Michigan State’s Tom Izzo (three), Drake’s Ben McCollum (one), and UC San Diego’s Eric Olen (one).
Asked about rev-sharing, Rick Pitino says it bothers him that for some of these college players, this is “the most money they will ever make in their life.” https://t.co/3HqfArYFNf
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) April 4, 2025
When asked about revenue sharing with college athletes, Pitino said it bothers him that “for some of these college players, this is the most money they will ever make in their life.”
Pitino’s Impressive Season
The award follows a milestone year for St. John’s, which won its first outright Big East regular-season title since 1985 and its first Big East Tournament championship since 2000.
Pitino improved the Red Storm from 18-15 in 2022-23 to 20-13 in his first season at the helm. St. John’s finished the 2024-25 season with a 31-5 record.
The Red Storm matched a school record with 31 wins and secured their first NCAA Tournament victory in 25 years before falling in the second round to Arkansas.
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The 72-year-old Hall of Fame coach was also named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association’s Henry Iba National Coach of the Year, becoming the second St. John’s coach to receive the honor. Lou Carnesecca won it twice, in 1983 and 1985.
Pitino is also a finalist for the Naismith National Coach of the Year, alongside Pearl, Scheyer, and Houston’s Kelvin Sampson.
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