Conference-winning St. John’s was well-represented in the Big East’s 2024-25 awards, but to many of its players, there was a notable snub.
Kadary Richmond was left off of the All-Big East first team.
Instead, the do-it-all guard landed on the second team, with the conference including two of his teammates, guard RJ Luis Jr. and forward Zuby Ejiofor, among the six players on the first team.
“I understand it because it’s tough getting three guys,” head coach Rick Pitino said after Thursday’s 78-57 win over Butler in the Big East Tournament quarterfinal.
“I said, ‘Kadary, your teammates and coaching staff think you’re a top-three guard in the nation, maybe the best guard in the nation, so what does that matter? You’ve got the respect of every coach and every teammate. We think you’re the best guard in the nation, so that’s better than anything else.’ He’s been terrific.”
A senior transfer from Seton Hall, Richmond entered Friday’s semifinal matchup with Marquette averaging 2.1 steals per game, which ranked third in the conference; 5.4 assists, which ranked fourth; and 6.1 rebounds, which ranked ninth.
The Brooklyn native was averaging 12.8 points per game for the Big East’s high-scoring offense and is one of the top defender’s on the conference’s stoutest defense.
“It was surprising, but they couldn’t put three of us, so I’ll take it,” Richmond, 23, told the Daily News of his first-team omission. “I’m happy for the guys that did get it. They deserve everything they’ve got.”
Richmond totaled 15 points, eight rebounds and nine assists in the victory over Butler at Madison Square Garden.
That well-rounded performance came five days after Richmond became the first St. John’s player since 1999 to record a triple-double.
“He should have been on the first team,” said St. John’s guard Deivon Smith. “He works really hard. He’s a great guard. He almost had another triple-double [against Butler]. We’re winning. I think three of the guys should have been on the first team.”
Luis was named the Big East Player of the Year after averaging 18.1 points and 7.1 rebounds per game in the regular season. Ejiofor was named the conference’s Most Improved Player after averaging 14.2 points and 8.1 rebounds.
Joining them on the All-Big East first team were Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner, Marquette’s Kam Jones, Villanova’s Eric Dixon and Georgetown’s Micah Peavy.
“He’s definitely a first-team guy, like you see every night,” Luis said of Richmond. “I wish all three of us could be on the first team.”
Last year, Richmond was named to the All-Big East first team with Seton Hall after averaging 15.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 2.2 steals per game, all of which ranked within the top 11 among Big East players.
Richmond played his freshman season at Syracuse and three years at Seton Hall before transferring to St. John’s as a fifth-year senior — a move he hails as the right decision.
“I’m from here,” said Richmond, who played high-school basketball at Midwood and South Shore in Brooklyn. “It feels good to be winning in New York. Winning in New York is a big thing. We get to experience it a lot. This was the right decision because you see where we are now, what we’re doing now. I appreciate them reaching out and welcoming me with open arms.”
Richmond has upped his scoring in recent weeks despite playing through injuries, including what Pitino described last month as “double groin pulls.”
He entered Friday averaging 15.7 points per game over his last 13 appearances.
“He’s playing brilliant basketball,” said Pitino, who won Big East Coach of the Year. “He’s a 6-5, 6-6 guard that has great body control, understands the game, owns up to everything he does wrong. He’s coachable. He’s got a great attitude. He’s very humble. There aren’t enough adjectives I can say about that young man.”
