How Rick Pitino, Kadary Richmond have made unlikely partnership work in historic season

Join Post Sports+ for exciting member-only features, including real-time texting with Zach Braziller about the inside buzz on St.John’s.

INDIANAPOLIS – Twice over the last week, an unprompted Rick Pitino has singled out Kadary Richmond’s toughness.His determination.

His refusal to let nagging groin injuries slow him down. It started after last Wednesday’s win at DePaul and continued Sunday after a victory over Connecticut.Pitino went as far as to say that the Seton Hall transfer shouldn’t have played against the Huskies, he was so injured.The Hall of Fame coach brought up the “general soreness” nickname some Seton Hall fans gave Richmond, a reference to him missing a few games last year for the aforementioned reason. “I don’t know what the hell they were yelling about at Seton Hall about general soreness,” Pitino said Sunday.“Kadary Richmond is more injured than any player I’ve coached right now, and he fights through it.”It meant a lot to Richmond, who has been dealing with groin pulls in each leg dating back to a Feb.

1 win over Providence. “It just shows the type of person he is,” the senior said ahead of St.John’s trip to Butler Wednesday night.

“I try to block all that stuff out [that Seton Hall fans say].I could’ve been spoken on that in my time there at any media availability I had.

I chose not to.That just goes to show the type of person he is and how much he cares about us players.”The injuries haven’t slowed down Richmond.Since the Providence game, he is averaging 17.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 2.2 steals.

After a slow start during non-conference play the Brooklyn native is everything St.John’s could’ve asked him to be, as one of the top players in the Big East. The big question upon his decision to transfer to the Johnnies was how he would mesh with Pitino.The narrative with Richmond was his sometimes questionable work habits and Pitino is known as a coach who demands his players put ...