Rick Pitino, St. John's men's basketball coach, revealed that he will start Idaho State transfer Dylan Darling alongside Oziyah Sellers against William & Mary. The decision came after an impressive practice session where Darling outshone the team's backup point guards under full-court pressure.
The move was made necessary due to constant turnovers and the inability of the backups to simulate the team's defensive pressure. Pitino has praised Darling for his fearlessness, saying he is "afraid of nothing" and believes he thinks he is the best player on the court.
Darling had just returned from a calf strain that kept him out of practice until Thursday morning's shootaround. The decision to start Darling allowed Sellers to focus on scoring opportunities, as his new point guard found ways to get him open.
Head coach Pitino has emphasized that he looks for the best players regardless of reputation and does not consider who starts based on past performances. He believes all players will contribute, regardless of their starting position.
The win over William & Mary marked St. John's first time scoring 90 or more points in its first three games since the 1971-72 season.
The move was made necessary due to constant turnovers and the inability of the backups to simulate the team's defensive pressure. Pitino has praised Darling for his fearlessness, saying he is "afraid of nothing" and believes he thinks he is the best player on the court.
Darling had just returned from a calf strain that kept him out of practice until Thursday morning's shootaround. The decision to start Darling allowed Sellers to focus on scoring opportunities, as his new point guard found ways to get him open.
Head coach Pitino has emphasized that he looks for the best players regardless of reputation and does not consider who starts based on past performances. He believes all players will contribute, regardless of their starting position.
The win over William & Mary marked St. John's first time scoring 90 or more points in its first three games since the 1971-72 season.
. On one hand, having someone who can handle full-court pressure and outshine the backups is a huge asset, especially given St. John's defense. On the other hand, it does raise concerns about the team's depth and ability to adapt when Darling isn't on the court.
. Still, I'm excited to see how this plays out and whether St. John's can sustain this level of performance throughout the season! 
i get that they've been working with the backups, but if one of them is struggling that much, maybe it's time to look elsewhere for some scoring punch... 
he saw potential in darling and gave him a shot, and now st john's is on fire 
those turnovers were killing them, but now they got this young gun who's fearless and can take it to the hoop 
sellers gets to score more easily, win-win for him too! 
, but I wonder how the team will do without their backup point guards making those crucial passes? 
also, 90+ points in a win over William & Mary is impressive, but what about the turnovers? didn't they have some issues with that? 
! I mean, it's not just about starting him ahead of Sellers, but also showing that he trusts his player's instincts. "Afraid of nothing" is a pretty good motto for an NBA coach 
. But seriously, if Darling can bring that confidence and fearlessness to the court, it'll be great for the team. And hey, if Sellers gets more scoring opportunities because of it, win-win! 
the team needs consistency and a solid starting lineup, hope they can keep this momentum going and not let darlings recent arrival throw off their game 
. Can't wait to see if they can keep up the momentum! 
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. This Dylan Darling kid just comes out of nowhere and suddenly he's starting ahead of their backup point guards? 
I mean, I'm all for giving players a chance to shine, but when does it go from being a smart move to looking like a publicity stunt? 
And don't even get me started on Pitino's weird praise for Darling - "afraid of nothing"? Sounds like someone trying too hard to spin a narrative 
. I'm watching this one closely, folks... 
And what about Sellers? He was supposed to be the main man, but now he gets to chill on offense while Darling is doing all the work? 
, but gotta say rick pitino seems like a pretty straight shooter when he says darling is fearless no holds barred lol 
I feel like Dylan Darling is getting a second chance to prove himself and it's awesome that Coach Pitino believes in him enough to start him, even after he was out for a bit with an injury. It's also super cool that Sellers gets to focus on scoring now that Darling is taking some of the pressure off. I love how Coach Pitino emphasizes finding the best players regardless of their past performances - it shows he's all about the team's success, not just individual stars 
the fact that Darling can outshine the backup point guards under pressure is insane 
. can't wait to see what the rest of the season holds for St John's 
but what I find crazy is that Darling outshone those backup point guards in practice 
I mean, if he's "afraid of nothing" as Pitino said, why hasn't he been playing sooner? 
. What happens if he gets injured again? Or struggles with the pressure of being a starter? It's not ideal, but at least Sellers can focus on scoring without having to worry about turning over the ball