The words have been there for the better part of a decade, running the baselines at Madison Square Garden. All caps, all red, all-encompassing:

WE ARE NEW YORK’S TEAM

Before Rick Pitino revived St. John’s, it was a mission more than a statement, as if the school had to convince itself that it was true.

The fan base became well acquainted with apathy under Norm Roberts. The flickers of excitement under Steve Lavin were too brief to repair the damage. Chris Mullin’s homecoming offered little more than nostalgia. Mike Anderson was a tourist without a map.