After an NCAA Tournament snub, St John’s is reloading with a vengeance in preparation for the upcoming season.
Rick Pitino’s bunch is now 40/1 to win the 2025 national championship after two big portal additions, cut in half from the 80/1 odds they opened with.
St. Johns is tied with Michigan State and fellow Big East squad Creighton for the 16th-best odds and only slightly higher than Kentucky (35/1) and national title runner-up Purdue (30/1).
UConn is tied with Kanasas for favorite status at BetMGM, each at 10/1.
St. John’s big odds shift is thanks to two key portal additions in Seton Hall star Kadary Richmond and Utah guard Deivon Smith.
Pitino took to X to call it a “dream backcourt” after adding the veteran players.
This addition to an already strong roster of returning players should put St. John’s as one of the top contenders in the Big East behind presumed favorite Connecticut, the back-to-back national champions.
If Caesars Sportsbook is any indicator, St John’s could be the conference’s No. 2 team, as it has the best second-odds among Big East teams to win the NCAA Tournament (50/1), with Creighton higher at 60/1.
Marquette is 50/1 on BetMGM and has the fourth-best odds among all Big East teams.
2025 NCAA college basketball national championship odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Kansas | 10/1 |
| UConn | 10/1 |
| Duke | 11/1 |
| Houston | 16/1 |
| North Carolina | 18/1 |
| Alabama | 18/1 |
| Baylor | 20/1 |
| Arizona | 22/1 |
| Gonzaga | 22/1 |
| Iowa State | 25/1 |
| Purdue | 30/1 |
| Auburn | 30/1 |
| Arkansas | 30/1 |
| Kentucky | 35/1 |
| Tennessee | 35/1 |
| Michigan State | 40/1 |
| St. John’s | 40/1 |
| Creighton | 40/1 |
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Richmond was the No. 1 player available on the transfer rankings when he entered the portal in late April.
He dropped 21 points and 13 rebounds during Seton Hall’s NIT championship game victory over Indiana State.
St. John’s marks the third team for Richmond, with the big guard having also spent one year with Syracuse in 2020-21.