Rick Pitino has brought a familiar face into the St. John’s program, and it’s not just any former player. Peyton Siva, the point guard who helped steer Pitino’s 2013 Louisville team to a national championship, is officially on the Red Storm coaching staff.
The school made the addition official Thursday after the move had already been reported. For Pitino, it’s a reunion with one of the most important guards he ever coached.
“Peyton is a world-class person and leader,” Pitino said. “Our players will be thrilled to have his expertise.”
That connection goes well beyond a standard assistant hire. Siva wasn’t just part of Pitino’s Louisville teams - he was the guy running the show from the point, and he helped lead one of the best teams Pitino ever put together.
Siva’s Louisville résumé still stands out. He earned Big East Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors in back-to-back seasons in 2012 and 2013, then capped his senior year with 228 assists and 90 steals, both Louisville single-season records at the time. He finished his college career second in program history in assists and steals while helping the Cardinals win the 2013 national title.
After college, Siva was taken in the second round of the 2013 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons and went on to play professionally overseas for years.
He later returned to Louisville and spent the past two seasons on Pat Kelsey’s staff. His roles there included director of player development and alumni relations, and then assistant coach. During those two seasons, Louisville went 51-19.
Now he’s leaving his alma mater to join the coach who helped define his playing career.
“I’m also extremely excited for this next chapter,” Siva said. “Playing for Coach Rick Pitino was a dream, and now having the chance to coach alongside him is an incredible opportunity.”
The move also adds another championship voice to St. John’s staff. Siva joins Steve Masiello and Taliek Brown as the program’s three assistants who won national titles as college players.
For Pitino, the fit makes sense. His teams have always leaned heavily on the guard spot, and Siva knows exactly what that responsibility looks like. He lived through it during a title run, taking Pitino’s instructions in the biggest moments and now returning to help pass that same standard along.
For St. John’s guards, Pitino may have just added one of the best teachers he could possibly find.
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