NEW YORK _ Mike Anderson was named the next head coach for the St. John's men's basketball team, the school said Friday in a news release.
"My family and I are extremely excited to join the St. John's University community," Anderson said in a news release Friday. "This basketball program is rooted with such great tradition and it has a history built by legendary coaches, so this is a humbling experience. I look forward to mentoring the young men who will represent St. John's proudly on the court, in the classroom and in our community."
Anderson, 59, had his introductory news conference on Friday afternoon at Madison Square Garden. Among the topics asked of him was his ability to recruit the New York area.
"I want the best players in our state to come to St. John's," Anderson said. "St John's is New York's team. What better way to fill up Madison Square Garden?"
Red Storm starters LJ Figueroa and Mustapha Heron have yet to declare they will return to St. John's, but both players were at the news conference and were called up on stage by their new coach toward the end of Anderson's opening remarks.
"Coach Anderson is one of the most respected coaches in college basketball and there is no doubt in my mind that he is the perfect fit to lead our program," athletic director Mike Cragg said in the release. "He has built programs and has sustained success throughout his career. We are confident that his extensive coaching experience, recruiting acumen and skill development program will elevate St. John's basketball to new heights. Coach Anderson has a relentless work ethic and he is focused on establishing a championship level program here in New York City."
Anderson, 59, was dismissed from Arkansas in late March and has a 369-200 record in 17 seasons at UAB, Missouri and Arkansas. He took each program to three NCAA Tournaments.
Before becoming head coach at UAB, Anderson was an assistant coach for almost two decades under Nolan Richardson and was on the staff of the 1994 national champion and the 1995 runner-up.
He was head coach at Arkansas for eight seasons and received a second contract extension in November 2017 that reportedly paid $2.55 million annually. The Razorbacks never finished under .500 under Anderson and his teams were in three of the past five NCAA Tournaments. The team finished 18-16 and reached the NIT this year before Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek replaced him because the program wasn't consistently competing for NCAA championships.
"We are very pleased to welcome Mike Anderson and his family to St. John's University," school president Conrado "Bobby" Gempesaw, Ph.D., said. "Coach Anderson embodies the mission and values of St. John's, with a resolute passion and hunger for excellence. He will be a great leader in ensuring the success of our student-athletes both on and off the court. Coach Anderson will be an outstanding ambassador for our University in his role as head coach of our men's basketball program and as a member of the St. John's community."
