Mike Anderson Out At St. John’s Amid Disappointing Results & Internal Turmoil

Anderson’s four years in Queens were marked by a 30-46 Big East record and no NCAA tournament appearances.

St. John’s University parted ways with former Men’s Basketball head coach Mike Anderson on March 10, and conducted a national search for the program’s new leadership. Rick Pitino — who is the only coach in history to win NCAA national championships (one vacated) at two schools —was named head coach on March 20.

The move came less than a day after St. John’s was eliminated from the Big East Tournament after squandering a 14-point lead over Marquette in the quarterfinals. With the loss, the program was officially eliminated from NCAA tournament contention. After not receiving a NIT selection, the Johnnies’ failure to make the semifinal round of their conference tournament ended their 2022-23 campaign.

“After fully evaluating the men’s basketball program, our University has decided a change is needed in both the leadership and direction of St. John’s Basketball,” said Mike Cragg, the St. John’s athletics director, in a press release. “We wish coach Mike Anderson and his family the best in their future.”

Anderson led St. John’s to a 68-56 overall record in his four seasons as head coach with no NCAA tournament appearances. Under his leadership, the Red Storm had a 30-46 record in

2023 conference play. Following a promising 202021 season that saw the Johnnies capture a winning record in league play, St. John’s extended Anderson to a six-year contract.

Beyond the team’s on-court performance during his tenure, there have been questions about the program’s internal turmoil as well.

A lawsuit filed by former St. John’s basketball coach Steve DeMeo in 2021 alleged that Anderson lost control of the team at the end of the 2020-21 season. “The public success of the St. John’s men’s basketball team on the court masked a tumultuous end to the season,” the suit stated. “Mr. Anderson lost control of the team and the players nearly revolted against him before the end of the season.”

At the time, the University categorically denied all allegations of wrongdoing, but declined to further comment on the pending litigation.

This season, Anderson issued multiple suspensions to St. John’s players for “not adhering to team standards.” Junior guard Andre Curbelo was suspended twice and did not travel with the team for one of their away games and sophomore guard Raphael Pinzon was indefinitely suspended for the rest of the season. When Curbelo was asked why he wasn’t playing, he told reporters he didn’t know. Anderson declined to provide additional comment on the suspensions as well.

St. John’s President Brian Shanley, who has expressed his displeasure with the program’s oncourt performance, told The Torch that he was “completely committed right now” to helping Anderson be successful in a January 2023 interview. However, he added that “we have to figure out how to win more games.”