Rick Pitino, the former Louisville coach, has agreed to a six-year deal with St. John’s Red Storm to become their next basketball coach. The news, which was first reported by ESPN, comes just days after St. John’s announced that they had parted ways with former coach, Chris Mullin.

Pitino, who has been out of coaching since being fired by Louisville in 2017, was reportedly being considered by St. John’s along with other potential candidates. However, it was clear that the university had their sights set on Pitino, who has a storied history of success in college basketball.

The news has been welcomed by the St. John’s community, with fans and alumni alike expressing their excitement at the prospect of having Pitino at the helm. “This is a huge coup for our program,” said one St. John’s fan. “Pitino is a proven winner and he’ll bring a level of intensity and passion that we’ve been lacking for some time.”

Pitino is no stranger to controversy, however, and his hiring is sure to raise some eyebrows. In 2017, he was named in a scandal involving the use of escorts to recruit players at Louisville, which led to his firing. Despite this, St. John’s Athletic Director, Mike Cragg, expressed his confidence in Pitino. “We’ve done our research and we believe that Rick is the right person for the job,” he said in a statement.

Pitino’s return to coaching is also seen as a major boost for the college basketball landscape, adding another high-profile name to the coaching ranks. He is expected to take up his duties at St. John’s immediately, with the team’s next season set to begin in November.