Chris Mullin makes his debut as St. John's coach Friday night in season opener against Wagner
St. John's head coach Chris Mullin looks on against Sonoma State at Carnesecca Arena in Queens on Saturday, Nov 7, 2015. Credit: Steven Ryan
The second coming of Chris Mullin to St. John's begins Friday night at Carnesecca Arena when the Hall of Fame player makes his head-coaching debut in the season opener against Wagner. The program he takes over is a far cry from where it was when Mullin led it to the Final Four in 1985 as a senior.
No one knows better than Mullin how far the Red Storm is from that pinnacle, but the longest journey begins with the first step. "It's rare, at 52, that you do something you've never done before," Mullin said Thursday. "It's exciting, and it feels like it's time to get going.
"It's going to be a nice feeling, being home and being back at a place that meant so much to my development as a player and as a person . . . But once the game starts, you get locked into the game. I've never had trouble with that, focusing on the task at hand. I've always lost myself in the preparation."
Since his hiring on April 1 Mullin has been caught in a whirlwind of assembling a top-notch coaching staff and recruiting 10 new players. But only seven of those recruits are eligible because Tennessee transfer Tariq Ownes must sit out a season, freshman point guard Marcus LoVett was categorized as a partial qualifier this week, meaning he can practice but not play until next season, and freshman forward Kassoum Yakwe still is awaiting an NCAA ruling on his eligibility.
Losing LoVett, a four-star prospect, was a severe blow to a team that figures to struggle this season, but Mullin took it in stride. "I think it's really important that he stays positive," Mullin said of LoVett. "Be diligent in his academics and just keep preparing. He's a very gifted player and a very nice kid to deal with. He's got a bright future."
LoVett's loss means point guard duties fall primarily on Italian freshman Federico Mussini, who had 11 turnovers in two exhibition games. "We'll come up with solutions and ways to deal with that as opposed to excuses," Mullin said. "I think he's improving. He's played two exhibition games. That goes pretty much for our whole roster."
Results matter now, and Mullin is prepared to hold himself accountable.
"I hope I get better each day like the players," Mullin said. "I ask the same of myself as I do of my players -- to be diligent and have daily improvement."
Greg Logan has worked for Newsday since 1982 covering a wide array of sports and events, currently including the Brooklyn Nets beat.
