Rick Pitino, the coach of St. John’s University, has come under scrutiny for the program’s Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals, which have been reported to be worth six figures for some players. The coach defended his team’s approach to NIL, stating that he believes there is a “lot of misrepresentation” about how the system works.
In a recent press conference, Pitino argued that Zuby Ejiofor and RJ Luis, two stars on his current St. John’s team, are “under-paid” in today’s NIL market. He claimed that the school’s entire NIL budget, led by billionaire donor Mike Repole, is $4 million, with three players receiving six-figure salaries.
However, Pitino emphasized that his team’s success cannot be attributed solely to their NIL deals. Instead, he credited the “character of the players” as a key factor in building a strong program. The coach also highlighted the importance of understanding the entire “puzzle” of what goes into building a successful team.
The St. John’s team is projected to be a 2-seed in the NCAA Tournament and will attempt to make history beginning Thursday in Providence. Despite controversy surrounding their NIL deals, Pitino remains confident in his team’s abilities.
“It’s nonsense about NIL,” Pitino said. “You don’t know what you are getting with these young players.” He also expressed confidence that some of his top players, including Ejiofor and Luis, will return to the program next season.
Source: https://www.nj.com/sports/2025/03/rick-pitino-says-two-stjohns-stars-are-under-paid-on-teams-nil-budget.html