Hopkins confident St. John’s made him ready for NBA

By the Editorial Team · Tuesday, June 23, 2026

St. John’s forward Bryce Hopkins has declared himself ready for the NBA draft, crediting coach Rick Pitino’s mentorship for preparing him for professional basketball challenges. Having impressed in workouts with multiple NBA teams and the G League combine, Hopkins is seen as a potential two-way contract candidate and aims to continue St. John’s recent push toward NBA draft relevance.

Bryce Hopkins, a standout forward from St. John’s University, expressed confidence in his readiness for the NBA ahead of the upcoming draft this week. Hopkins credited his time under head coach Rick Pitino for preparing him most effectively for the rigors of professional basketball, including team workouts, travel, and the overall culture within NBA organizations.

“Coach P definitely prepared me the most to be where I am today and to go through these NBA workouts, all the traveling and all the work you’re putting in behind the scenes,” Hopkins said. He highlighted the similarities between Pitino’s coaching system at St. John’s and the demands of NBA teams, noting that the culture instilled at the college level translated well to professional expectations.

Hopkins’ single season with the Red Storm proved significant both for the player and the program. He played a key role in St. John’s capturing back-to-back Big East regular-season and postseason titles and advancing to the NCAA tournament Sweet 16 for the first time in 27 years. After a period of inconsistency early in the season, Hopkins found his rhythm in January and elevated his performance during the postseason. Over the Big East and NCAA tournaments, he averaged 18.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game while shooting an impressive 65 percent from beyond the arc (13-for-20).

The 6-foot-6 forward has taken part in workouts with 12 NBA teams, including the New York Knicks, and began the pre-draft process strongly by standing out at the G League combine, eventually earning an invitation to the regular NBA draft combine. An NBA scout suggested Hopkins could be a candidate for a two-way contract, regardless of whether he is selected during the draft.

Hopkins, who will watch the draft with family and friends in his hometown of Chicago, described his approach to the process as one defined by perseverance. “Nothing was ever handed to me in my career. I always had to go out and fight for stuff,” he said.

Throughout the draft preparations, Hopkins has maintained close contact with former St. John’s teammates Zuby Ejiofor and Dillon Mitchell. The trio hopes to continue the program’s limited history of NBA draft selections—St. John’s last saw a player drafted in 2015, and the last time two Johnnies were selected was in 2000. As they await their professional futures, the players remain optimistic about potentially celebrating this milestone together.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.