It’s a new era of college basketball.
Programs can now go shopping for stars oozing with NBA potential by spending millions in NIL money provided by countless boosters. St. John’s is one of those programs.
When the Red Storm hired legendary head coach Rick Pitino, it sent shockwaves throughout college basketball. Everyone knew the two-time national champion would put the Johnnies back on the map.
Heading into the 2024 season, the Red Storm finished fourth in the transfer portal rankings, propelling them to their first Big East championship since 2000.
But after a disappointing second-round exit to Arkansas in the national tournament, Mike Repole — St. John’s alumnus and top booster — teamed up with Pitino to build a powerhouse.
The 2025 transfer portal officially closed on April 22. No more players can enter, though there is still time for potential transfers to choose new programs. The Red Storm retained just four players from their successful 2024 campaign, but that’s not a problem.
As of April 27, St. John’s ranks No. 1 in the nation in transfer portal acquisitions, according to 247Sports, completely retooling a depleted roster.
Let’s get to know some of the newest members of the St. John’s basketball program.
PG Ian Jackson: #9th ranked, North Carolina.
The Red Storm went out and grabbed six total transfers from the portal and Ian Jackson was the prized jewel of that haul.
Jackson was a true freshman at North Carolina last season, averaging 11.9 points per game while shooting an efficient 39.9% from 3-point range — mostly coming off the bench. He’ll instantly slide into a starting spot with the Johnnies.
Rick Pitino took to X following the move to say:
The Bronx native had some real flashes of scoring throughout the 2024 season — in some games, looking like one of the best true freshmen in the country. And now, with a full-time starting role, he has a real chance to develop into the NBA prospect he was projected to be coming out of high school.
But there’s still room for growth. Jackson played more of a shooting guard role last season and averaged less than one assist per game. But linking up with Pitino could be exactly what he needs to take that next step and redefine who he is as a player.
PF Bryce Hopkins: #19th ranked, Providence
Bryce Hopkins, once a rival of the Red Storm, now joins Rick Pitino for their chase of a national championship. Hopkins wasn’t always a member of the Providence Friars; he started off with the Kentucky Wildcats, entering college basketball as a four-star recruit ranked No. 44 in the nation.
After his single season with the Wildcats, Hopkins moved on to Providence, where he inherited a much larger role. Averaging 15 points per game while playing in all 33 games of his sophomore season.
The biggest worry for the Johnnies? Hopkins tore his ACL in January 2024, returning for the Friars in December, where he again suffered an injury that would cause him to miss the remaining nine games of the season.
The addition of Hopkins gives St. John’s a true power forward player, compared to last season when they had a versatile Aaron Scott who was able to play at both positions. Zuby Ejiofor and Hopkins teaming up makes for some must-watch basketball.
SF Dillon Mitchell: #61st ranked, Cincinnati
Dillon Mitchell is an athletic powerhouse, receiving comparisons to 76ers forward Kelly Oubre as he entered the college basketball scene as a five-star recruit, No. 8 in the nation. Mitchell began his career with the Texas Longhorns, where he played 17 minutes per game as a freshman, averaging four points off the bench.
The year following, Mitchell excelled in a larger role with the Longhorns, averaging eye-popping defensive numbers, a steal per game along with high defensive rebound numbers.
Mitchell then transferred to Cincinnati the following year, when he again excelled as a defender, averaging 1.4 steals a game, while making several highlight-reel dunks that went viral.
That’s who the combo-forward is as a player, a defensive demon who can guard almost anyone on the court, giving him a rare versatile feature for a 6-foot-8 combo forward.
Pitino again took to X to talk about Dillon,
The junior will fit in perfectly with the Pitino system, most likely replacing the usage of Aaron Scott, in a potential starting role.
SG Joson Sanon: #25th ranked, Arizona State
The first domino to fall, Joson Sanon is a true threat from beyond the arc. Something the Red Storm desperately lacked last season.
As a team, the Johnnies shot just 30.1% from three, including a brutal 2-for-22 performance against Arkansas in their 75-66 second-round NCAA Tournament exit.
Sanon gives St. John’s a dose of pure shooting.
The former five-star recruit averaged 11 points as a freshman at Arizona State, knocking down 36% of his shots from deep. He tends to be a streaky scorer, opening the season as one of the nation’s hottest shooters at 47% from three, before cooling off dramatically and finishing 14-for-58 down the stretch.
One of Sanon’s biggest issues is on the defensive end. He often closes out too hard on guards, giving up easy lanes to the basket. That’s a habit that can be cleaned up in the Red Storm’s system. Sanon also brings high-level athleticism and a projectable frame, tools that fit perfectly with what Rick Pitino looks for.
SG Oziyah Sellers: #121st ranked, Stanford
There’s a new identity storming toward Queens, cloudy with a chance of 3-pointers.
Oziyah Sellers is the perfect example of this. A player who will most likely come off the bench or enter rotational starting lineups here and there, Sellers is a transitional nightmare who can make any three-pointer on the court after turnovers forced on defense.
The best part about Sellers’ game is that he can create offense for himself in a pinch, while also being the perfect player to complement primary scorers.
Sellers started his college basketball career as a four-star out of high school, joining USC, where he transferred two seasons later for a new opportunity with Stanford. The Cardinal offense was very lucky to have Sellers, who averaged 13.7 points while shooting 40% from beyond the arc.
The acquisition of Sellers now marks a new era for the Johnnies, one where 3-point shooting will be the focal point of this offense, making the Red Storm Now borderline unstoppable.
SF Imran Suljanovic: Austria
In 2024, Rick Pitino and St. John’s found talent in Portugal by acquiring Ruben Prey. This offseason, Pitino again tackled the international recruiting field by acquiring top European recruit Imran Suljanovic.
Suljanovic enters St. John’s as a 19-year-old, 6-foot-5 small forward, capable of shooting the lights out of any arena in America. He played for the FIBA U18 EuroBasket Division over the last three seasons, averaging 18 points and five rebounds during this time.
Pitino took to X yet again to share the excitement of his newest recruit:
It will be interesting to see how the Red Storm utilize Suljanovic in his first season with the team, whether he’s a reserve player learning from the rest of the team or a key bench piece in their Big East push.
G Dylan Darling, Idaho State
After going all-out and landing big-name transfers like Ian Jackson and Bryce Hopkins, the Red Storm dipped into mid-major basketball to acquire Dylan Darling from Idaho State, one of the biggest steals of the entire portal month.
Darling, son of former longtime NFL player James Darling, was the Big Sky Player of the Year as just a sophomore, totaling 19.8 points per game along with five assists, leading the Big Sky with a 35.3% assist percentage and only having a 12.6% turnover rate.
Darling will most likely enter the Red Storm’s rotation as the team’s backup point guard, after Pitino announced Ian Jackson would start there, having a backup option who performed so well last season is always an amazing scenario.
