Rick Pitino says most St John's players likely won't return next season: 'Not a good fit for me'

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Rick Pitino was introduced as St. John's new men's basketball coach Tuesday, and the 70-year-old Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer was blunt about his expectations. 

Pitino was announced as the team's next head coach just days after his Iona Gaels fell to the UConn Huskies in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Friday. 

The Red Storm has not made the tournament since the 2018-19 season, when it lost in the First Four. Under former head coach Mike Anderson, the team went 68-56 over four seasons.

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Head coach Rick Pitino of the Iona Gaels in the first half against the Connecticut Huskies during the first round of the NCAA Tournament at MVP Arena March 17, 2023, in Albany, N.Y.  (Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Pitino has been brought in to make St. John's a Big East contender.

As he spoke at the podium about the program's current roster Tuesday, Pitino gave it to the New York media straight. 

"The one thing I want to be honest with is a lot of the players probably won’t be back on this team because they’re probably not a good fit for me," Pitino said, via SNY. 

"It takes a certain type of basketball player to want to play for me. He’s got to be a total over-the-top, in love with the game of basketball [player]. If you’re not, it’s just a bad fit for me. It doesn’t work. So there will be a lot of players that move on to, I hope, greener pastures.

ST JOHN'S NAMES RICK PITINO AS HEAD COACH DAYS AFTER LOSING WITH IONA IN MARCH MADNESS

"It will be a round peg in a square hole. It won’t work."

Pitino has a different style of play than his predecessor, one that’s fast-paced and requires