St. John’s Basketball Beats Out North Carolina for Top Transfer Portal Target
In a stunning offseason coup that sent shockwaves across the college basketball landscape, St. John’s University has landed the top prize of the 2025 transfer portal: 6’9″ All-American forward Malik Rutherford, who officially spurned blue blood North Carolina to commit to Rick Pitino’s resurgent Red Storm.
The announcement came during a nationally televised segment on ESPN, where Rutherford, draped in a sharp red blazer lined with St. John’s insignia, pulled a Johnnies cap from beneath the table and set it firmly on his head. The move immediately set social media ablaze.
“This wasn’t just about legacy,” Rutherford said. “It was about fit, trust, and the opportunity to make real history. Coach Pitino made me believe in something bigger.”
Rutherford, who averaged 19.7 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game last season at Arizona State, entered the portal as the No. 1 ranked transfer in the nation, according to 247Sports. He had narrowed his choices to North Carolina, Kansas, and St. John’s. Most experts assumed Chapel Hill would be his final stop—until Pitino’s final pitch reportedly changed everything.
Sources close to the program revealed that Pitino, 72 but coaching with the intensity of a man half his age, met Rutherford and his family in Brooklyn just days before the commitment. What followed was a full tour of Madison Square Garden, a film session breaking down Rutherford’s fit in St. John’s high-octane offense, and a dinner in Queens hosted by NBA legend Chris Mullin.
“What Rick laid out was more than basketball,” said a source familiar with the recruitment. “It was a blueprint to be the centerpiece of a national title run.”
The commitment is monumental for St. John’s, which hasn’t reached the Final Four since 1985 but has seen a sharp resurgence under Pitino. The Hall of Fame coach, now in his second season in Queens, guided the Red Storm to a 22–11 record last year and an NCAA tournament berth—their first in over a decade.
With Rutherford anchoring a lineup that also includes returning sharpshooter AJ Storr and incoming five-star point guard Trevon Gaines, the Red Storm now boast one of the most explosive and balanced rosters in the country. Early projections from CBS Sports place them as a preseason Top 10 team—and serious contenders in the new-look Big East.
Meanwhile, the reaction from Tar Heel Nation has been one of shock and dismay. “We felt good about Malik,” said UNC assistant coach Sean May. “But in the end, St. John’s just wanted it more.”
Pitino, never one to shy away from bold statements, addressed the press minutes after Rutherford’s commitment.
“This is New York City basketball,” he said, eyes gleaming. “And the Empire is rising again.”
As the echoes of the announcement continue to ripple through the college basketball world, one thing is clear: the Red Storm are no longer rebuilding—they’re roaring into the national spotlight, and Malik Rutherford is leading the charge.
