After leaving Seton Hall University following a prolific year in the Big East, Kadary Richmond now transfers to the Red Storm in a shocking move. While beginning his career at Syracuse University, Richmond then went on to play for the Pirates for three years. Last season he was a First Team All-Big East selection averaging 15.7 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and 4.9 APG. He was in contention for Big East Player of the Year. With being one of the best, if not the best remaining players in the transfer portal, many schools were in the running for Richmond. He visited Oklahoma over the weekend and was also heavily considering Miami, USC, and a trip back to his freshman-year roots at Syracuse. All in all, Kadary Richmond believed legendary Coach Rick Pitino can take his game to the next level in playing for the Johnnies.
Kadary Richmond Transfers to Big East Rival
After winning the National Invitation Tournament with Seton Hall this past season, Richmond thought it was in his best interest to chase something superior this upcoming season. With the likes of Kadary in the backcourt fitting Pitino’s style of play, it will be interesting to see how well he performs early in the campaign. While the Richmond news is coming just days after announcing Utah point guard, Deivon Smith transferring in as well to the St. Johns team. With the addition of Smith and Richmond, they will join a young talented backcourt group in Queens.
What this means for Coach Pitino and the Big East
While Coach Pitino is old school, in the remark of the transfer portal, NIL, and recruiting game, he still had the ability to land a superstar in the highly competitive Big East conference. With the likes of Dan Hurley and UConn working in the portal, while Creighton reloaded their starting five, it will be some battle in the conference next season for the top spots. An action was well needed for Pitino and his staff, and in the past two days, he has revamped his backcourt. In making a move for another Big East star, there can be some bad blood, as we saw last season with Georgetown Coach Ed Cooley leaving the Providence Friars. Richmond sounded off on the shocking move, and how he can cope with the new change of scenery.
Kadary Richmond on Seton Hall: “Everyone might not be happy with it, but I just hope they understand sometimes you have to make the best decision to go places you want to go in life. “If they were in my shoes, they would have a better understanding of that.” #sjubb #shbb
— Zach Braziller (@NYPost_Brazille) May 7, 2024
For next season, both games where Kadary Richmond will play his former team are already expected to be sellout crowds. While a trip back to Newark and a hostile Prudential Center is inevitable, Richmond will try to get comfortable in his new home in at the Garden.
In the decision to move, Kadary Richmond likely got more of a NIL package to head to Queens and play in front of the Madison Square Garden crowd. The major appeal of another transfer guard in the system, as well as up-and-coming Sophomore Simeon Wilcher is what motivated him for the move. The Ex-Pirate thinks this move can lead St. Johns for a trip to San Antonio come next March.
