Pitino Praises 'Veteran' Play of New St. John's Point Guard Quinn Ellis

Quinn Ellis scored just three points in St. John's exhibition opener Wednesday night, but his performance nonetheless drew high praise from coach Rick Pitino, who described the new point guard's play as "like a veteran."

Ellis, who attempted only two shots in the game, focused on facilitating for his teammates. This unselfish approach stood out to Pitino during the Red Storm's 81-52 victory over Drexel at Carnesecca Arena.

"Quinn is the only one on the team who really understood how to play. He didn’t even care about looking at the basket. He played like a veteran," Pitino said. "When everybody else was hunting 3s early in the game, nobody understood you have to make the defense work, tire their legs out, run them into screens. Quinn understood it and nobody else did."

Pitino emphasized Ellis's ability to impact the game beyond scoring. "That’s why he’s a great player without scoring. He could score, but he didn’t want to. He wanted to get the other guys [involved] in the game."

The 6-foot-4 guard filled the stat sheet with six assists, six rebounds, four steals, and two blocks in 27 minutes. Pitino likened Ellis's impact to that of previous successful point guards he coached at St. John's, Kadary Richmond and Daniss Jenkins.

Teammate Babacar Sane echoed the sentiment, describing Ellis's passing ability as exceptional. "It’s amazing to play with Quinn, his ability to find you, get you open shots," Sane said. "I always tell him, every assist he makes for me, it’s one dollar. Today he gave me three assists on his shots, so I owe him three bucks."

Sane added, "I have never seen a point guard who’s looking first to pass. It’s wonderful to have somebody like him at St. John’s."

Ellis's eligibility for the season was recently confirmed by the NCAA, a development Pitino noted brought relief to the team and the England native. The 23-year-old guard brings significant international experience, having played for Olimpia Milano in the EuroLeague last season. He was a decorated prospect in Europe, earning accolades such as LBA Best Young Player, Italian Cup MVP, and Italian Supercup MVP in 2025.

Ellis chose St. John's over programs like Duke, BYU, Louisville, Houston, and Kentucky, citing a desire to play for a coach like Pitino who would challenge him and push his game to the next level. "It’s the opportunity I got. Coming over here can really elevate my game," Ellis said. "It’s really why I came here, to win something and take myself to the next level."

Despite his strong overall performance, Pitino briefly admonished Ellis during a timeout for sagging off a defender, highlighting the coach's demanding style. Ellis acknowledged this, stating, "He’s on us every day, like you saw in the timeout."

Ellis expressed satisfaction with the team's exhibition debut, considering it a solid start for a new roster. He believes the team has significant potential if they can synchronize their efforts and maintain intensity for the entire game. "We’ve got a lot of talent, and I feel like we can do great things if we all get on the same page and all are playing hard for 40 minutes," he said.

Pitino concluded by reiterating his satisfaction with Ellis's performance. "I walked away tonight saying he’s outstanding," Pitino said, "and I didn’t say it about anybody else."