Rick Pitino smiled broadly and exhaled.
A few minutes after walking out of a Queens courtroom Tuesday afternoon, the St. John’s coach received great news.
The NCAA had ruled point guard Quinn Ellis eligible for the coming season.
“We felt confident,” Pitino said. “It’s great. It’s a relief for him and a relief for us.”
Pitino was in court, alongside associate head coach Steve Masiello, to support Keyshawn Hall in his suit against the NCAA.
Hall, an Auburn transfer, had his temporary restraining order upheld pending a decision on his preliminary injunction. After that minor victory, Pitino and St. John’s scored a much bigger one.
The 23-year-old Ellis, a native of Sheffield, England, comes from the acclaimed EuroLeague. He was granted one year of eligibility.
The southpaw lead guard was courted by, among others, Duke, BYU, Louisville, Houston and Kentucky. St. John’s landed him April 14 but was waiting on the NCAA for an eligibility ruling.
In May, the NCAA published updated eligibility guidance that added additional scrutiny for international players and reemphasized rules regarding compensation above “actual and necessary expenses” from professional teams overseas.
Ellis gives the Johnnies an elite playmaker, something last year’s team lacked. Ellis, returning guard Ian Jackson and Baylor transfer Tounde Yessoufou have the makings of a terrific trio on the perimeter. A European scout who works for NBA teams previously told The Post that Ellis could thrive in St. John’s up-tempo system. He plays with pace, is unselfish and is difficult to stop in the open court.
“I think at the college level he can be a top two guy at a high major, and he can be effective every night,” the scout said. “Shooting is really his only weakness, but he [did better last year]. He’s not shy at all and would be great under pressure at the college level.”
Last season, the 6-foot-4 Ellis averaged 7.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists while playing for Olimpia Milano in Lega Basket Serie A. In his first season in the EuroLeague — a top-flight league that features former college stars and NBA players — he posted 8.2 points, 4.5 assists, 2.7 rebounds per game and shot 37.7 percent from beyond the arc.
Ellis received multiple honors in 2025, including LBA Best Young Player, Italian Cup MVP and Italian Supercup MVP.
“Quinn is so unusual in today’s game. He’s just a great performer,” Pitino said. “A lot of times when somebody says [someone] is a true point guard, that means he’s not a good athlete or he’s not a good scorer. That’s not the case with him. He’s a legit 6-foot-4, he’s lightning fast, he’s a great athlete and a great basketball player.”
Asked what fans will notice first, Pitino responded: “I just think what a great playmaker he is. He makes plays for people. He is somebody that can go down the lane and find somebody open you don’t readily see. He sees the court as well as anybody I’ve coached.”
Pitino believes Ellis is on the same level as the top point guards he’s had at St. John’s: Kadary Richmond and Daniss Jenkins. He’s different from them as a player, but his impact could be similar.
“All three of those guys were great point guards,” Pitino said.
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