St. John's Picked Second in Big East Preseason Poll; Jackson and Yessoufou Earn All-League Honors

Big East coaches have tabbed St. John's to finish second in the conference for the upcoming season, according to the annual preseason poll and all-league honors released on media day. The Red Storm received two first-place votes, trailing only preseason favorite UConn, which garnered eight. Marquette secured the remaining first-place vote.

Guards Ian Jackson and Tounde Yessoufou were recognized for their anticipated contributions, both earning spots on the preseason All-Big East First Team. This projection reflects a high level of confidence in the St. John's backcourt under head coach Rick Pitino.

Last season, St. John's success was anchored by their frontcourt, highlighted by Big East Player of the Year Zuby Ejiofor, who became the program's first NBA first-round draft pick since 2012. The team achieved repeat victories in both the Big East regular season and postseason tournaments, advancing to the NCAA Tournament's Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 1999.

This year's outlook emphasizes the team's backcourt strength. High expectations are placed on Jackson, entering his second season, who is expected to thrive in his natural shooting guard position. Yessoufou, a highly touted transfer, averaged 17.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.0 steals, and 1.6 assists per game as a freshman at Baylor. The backcourt is further bolstered by the anticipated arrival of Quinn Ellis, a point guard from Great Britain, although NCAA eligibility clearance is still pending.

Connecticut guard Silas Demary Jr. was named the preseason Player of the Year. Rounding out the First Team alongside Jackson and Yessoufou were Villanova's Tyler Perkins, Marquette's Nigel James Jr., and UConn's Braylon Mullins. The Second Team included UConn's Na’jai Hines, Marquette's Royce Parham, Providence's Miles Byrd, and the Villanova duo of Devin Royal and Kwame Evans Jr.

In the team predictions, Marquette was picked third, followed by Providence at fifth, Xavier at sixth, and Creighton at seventh. DePaul was slotted eighth, with Seton Hall ninth. Georgetown and Butler were predicted to finish at the bottom of the standings, in 10th and 11th place, respectively.