No surprise here. Pitino being rumored as top candidate. There was a time slick Rick insisted he would retire at Iona. This past off season his contract renegotiations stalled, and he had his buyout moved to $0.
Unlike Mike White, Mike Anderson can coach. However, it’s tough to recruit at St. John’s. Maybe Pitino can do it.
Looking back on St. Johns records in recent years, it's interesting to recall that Chris Mullin coached there for four seasons, but resigned in 2019. It doesn't appear that he remained active in coaching.
Anderson had a couple good years at Arkansas but eventually flamed out and got fired. He was then awful at St. John’s never making even the NIT and finishing 30-46 in Big East play. You are what your record says you are and Mike Anderson is not a good basketball coach.
He has never had a losing season. I am not saying he’s great, but he does a lot of positive things and is better than White.
White did win 4 or 5 games in a row against Anderson through Cheese’s senior year. That was accomplished with a lot of talent inherited from Billy D. However, my opinion is based mostly on watching both of these coaches coach. Anderson’s players usually improve a lot over their careers. White’s players have a tendency to regress. Anderson’s teams play intense defense all over the court and usually are among the nation’s leaders in forcing turnovers. His teams also play uptempo on offense. White’s teams did the opposite in his last few years at UF. IMO, Anderson would have kicked butt with a team that included Chiozza, Hayes, KeVaughn Allen, Hudson and company, and he would have done the same with the Nembhard, Johnson, Lewis, Mann team. Also, Anderson has had an excellent coaching career. His record is 438-257. In his 4 years coaching at UAB, he took them to 3 NCAA tournaments and went to a Sweet Sixteen and a round of 32. In his 5 years at Missouri, he also took them to 3 NCAA tournaments and went to an Elite Eight and a round of 32. His Missouri team went 31-7 in the 2008-2009 season. In his 8 years at Arkansas, Anderson wasn’t as successful, but his teams averaged 10 conference wins per season, and he took them to 3 NCAA tournaments and 2 rounds of 32. Anderson’s weakness appears to be in the recruiting department, but he is a darn good coach.
I think Anderson was a really good HC at one point, but now he seems to be running out of steam. There's no shame in that, it happens.
