Fran Fraschilla’s tells The Post how far this St. John’s team can go — and the big college basketball change he’d make

详细摘要

ESPN college basketball analyst and former St. John’s and Manhattan coach Fran Fraschilla takes a timeout for some Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby.

ESPN college basketball analyst and former St. John’s and Manhattan coach Fran Fraschilla takes a timeout for some Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby. Fraschilla’s autobiography, “Don’t Mess With Happy,” was released last month.

A: I saw Rick Pitino coach at 25 at Boston University when a good friend of mine was his first point guard [Glenn Consor]. He has an ability to inspire players to take their game to the highest level possible because he is relentless at demanding intensity and effort.

A: Here’s what I would say about Rick Pitino: If you put him in Alaska-Anchorage, he would have them in a Sweet 16 in two years. He has an ability to take players beyond anything they could ever imagine they could be. As long as he keeps the energy that he has, St. John’s is gonna be as good or even better this year.

A: I think they’re an Elite Eight-level team if everything comes together. But whatever it is, he’s gonna maximize the amount of the talent that they have.

A: He’s a linebacker disguised as a basketball player, yet Rick will likely turn him into a first-round pick. He’s what I would call a power wing, Tounde Yessoufou, who Rick has to turn into an NBA-level shooting guard before the young man leaves St. John’s.

A: Love him. You wake him up at 3 in the morning he gets 25. He’s a bucket. He scores like he breathes. He has an ability not only to score, but he’s so powerful he’s gonna shoot 10 free throws a game.

A: Because of his experience in the second-best basketball league in the world — the EuroLeague — he will dominate Big East opponents with his playmaking. He’s played in venues where they throw smoke bombs on the court, so he’s not gonna be intimidated very easily.

Q: Can you rehash the story about one of your players eating Wendy’s during a team meeting when you were the new St. John’s coach?

A: It happened to be Tarik Turner, who’s now an excellent broadcaster for Fox. My first team meeting, we had two guys show up late, two guys didn’t show up, and my starting…

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