This offseason’s college basketball coaching carousel could feature Rick Pitino.
According to The Post’s Zach Braziller, there’s mutual interest between the Iona head coach and St. John’s if current Red Storm head coach Mike Anderson is fired and an opening emerges.
Rev. Brian Shanley, the current St. John’s president, almost hired Pitino at Providence in 2011, per Braziller. The Friars’ position ultimately went to Ed Cooley, who has remained with the program since that decision.
St. John’s won’t be the only team trying to snag Pitino from Iona, though.
CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander also pegged the 70-year-old as a possible candidate to fill Georgetown’s void after the Hoyas parted ways with Patrick Ewing following their loss to Villanova in the Big East tournament Wednesday.
The Gaels will want to do everything they can to keep Pitino for the remainder of his contract — and anything beyond that — moving forward, too.
They’re the No. 1 seed in the MAAC tournament, with a matchup against Niagara in Friday’s semifinals, and in its first two seasons under Pitino, Iona either clinched the regular-season title or won the MAAC tournament.
Braziller reported in Jan. 2022 that Pitino has a $5 million buyout.
St. John’s season ended Thursday with an overtime loss to Marquette in the Big East tournament. It blew a 14-point lead against the Golden Eagles — a team it nearly upset in the regular season finale, too — but still had a chance to win.
However, Posh Alexander’s 3-pointer bounced off the front rim as time expired at Madison Square Garden.
The Red Storm haven’t made the NCAA Tournament in four years under Anderson, despite a winning record in each season.
The 63-year-old declined to address his future postgame, instead directing the press conference toward hopes for an NIT berth and lines such as “we’re talking about the game right now.”
According to Braziller, Anderson has four years and up to $10 million remaining on his contract following an extension St. John’s gave him in 2021 — keeping Anderson tied to the program, if everything worked out, through the 2026-27 campaign.
That ideal situation didn’t materialize, though.