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Fran Fraschilla’s tells The Post how far this St. John’s team can go — and the big college basketball change he’d make
ESPN analyst and former St John’s and Manhattan coach Fran Fraschilla says Rick Pitino could guide St John’s to the Elite Eight if the team’s talent and circumstances come together. He credits Pitino’s intensity and ability to draw more out of players, and says St John’s could be as good as or better than last season.
Fraschilla describes Baylor recruit Tounde Yessoufou as a powerful, athletic scorer whose skills are still developing, and says Pitino could help him become an NBA-level shooting guard. The interview also recalls Fraschilla’s efforts to establish standards at St John’s, praises UConn coach Dan Hurley’s intelligence and intensity, and recounts how Fraschilla first met John Calipari at a basketball camp.
In short
- Fraschilla sees Elite Eight potential for Pitino’s St John’s.
- He says Pitino could develop Tounde Yessoufou into an NBA guard.
- Fraschilla praises Dan Hurley and recalls his early coaching days.
Explained simply
St John’s is a university in New York with a long-running men’s college basketball programme. Rick Pitino, a veteran coach, now leads the team; Fran Fraschilla, who once coached St John’s and Manhattan, is an ESPN analyst who has followed the programme closely.
The NCAA tournament is the annual competition that decides the US college champion. The Elite Eight is the stage where eight teams remain, so reaching it would mark a deep tournament run. Coaches such as Pitino and UConn’s Dan Hurley are known for demanding styles, while players’ development can shape both a team’s results and their prospects of playing professionally.
Tounde Yessoufou is a recruit heading to Baylor, another college basketball programme. Fraschilla sees potential in his athletic scoring and believes coaching could help refine his skills; such assessments matter because top college players may later pursue careers in the NBA.