Rick Pitino’s Insights on Bryce Hopkins’ Performance
Rick Pitino holds Bryce Hopkins in high regard. He often mentions that the Providence transfer has the potential to be one of the top players in the nation, provided he keeps pushing himself and remains committed.
However, during Tuesday’s Big East opener, which resulted in a 79-66 victory over DePaul at Carnesecca Arena, the St. John’s coaching staff seemed puzzled. Hopkins had a rough game; he didn’t secure a single rebound in 23 minutes, had three turnovers, and managed only six points with a shooting rate of 1-of-4.
“He really needs to elevate his effort,” Pitino said. “He’s a talented guy, but he’s not rebounding. His energy levels have to come up.” He stressed that scoring alone isn’t enough, pointing out how players like Zuby Ejiofor and Dillon Mitchell contribute more in various aspects. “He needs to learn that,” Pitino emphasized. “He has to really go after it.”
Hopkins has been struggling lately, scoring in single digits in three of his last four games, and piling up a total of 10 turnovers during that timeframe.
On a brighter note, Joeson Sanon had a standout performance, tying his career high with nine rebounds, along with recording two blocks and one steal, contributing 15 points. Pitino has mentioned the need for his guards to improve in rebounding, and it looks like Sanon was paying attention. He’s managed to score 14 points over his last two games.
“He’s made significant progress,” Pitino noted. “Joson is really improving defensively. He can rebound, score, shoot, and even pass. Skill-wise, he might just be the most talented player on the team. He can pretty much do it all.”
St. John’s has now won against DePaul for the eighth consecutive time. Additionally, Ejiofor has made history as the first Big East player to achieve 20 blocks in just three games since Chris Obekpa, a former St. John’s player, did so in November 2013. After blocking eight shots in previous games against Ole Miss and Iona, Ejiofor added four more blocks on Tuesday. It’s worth noting that the St. John’s bench vastly outperformed DePaul’s, scoring 32 points to just 4.
