St. John’s Basketball prepares for competitive Big East season

The St. John’s Red Storm men’s basketball team enters the 2026-27 season with high expectations following back-to-back Big East regular-season and tournament championships. While the team is ranked No. 23 in the AP preseason Top 25, head coach Rick Pitino noted that the conference is becoming increasingly competitive, citing improvements in programs such as Xavier, Georgetown, Providence, and Creighton.

Recent exhibition play, including a victory over the Texas Longhorns, has highlighted several key roster elements. Keyshawn Hall, a transfer from Auburn, has emerged as a primary scoring threat despite ongoing legal proceedings regarding his eligibility. The team's frontcourt remains a focal point of development; Ruben Prey is currently playing out of his natural power forward position to cover the center spot, while Theo Edema has shown potential as a bench contributor.

On the perimeter, the roster features significant talent including Quinn Ellis, Ian Jackson, and Tounde Yessoufou. The Red Storm aim to maintain their dominance in a conference that includes other highly ranked programs like UConn and Marquette.