There is no reason to not believe. Still, one has to have some skepticism.
St. John's coach Rick Pitino spent seven weeks in summer workouts and declared his program to be in a "point-less" system. The Red Storm will not have a designated point guard this season.
It would be a little hard to fathom if it were not coming from Pitino, one of the smartest minds in college basketball. A team with no point guard?
Pitino speaks of a team in which everyone can handle the ball, but who is going to be the floor general when things matter?
It won't be 2023-24 star Daniss Jenkins. It won't be 2024-25 standouts Kadary Richmond and Deivon Smith.
St. John's wanted to bring in Princeton transfer Xavin Lee, who ultimately transferred to defending national champion Florida. And so a plan was put in place to take Ian Jackson, a transfer from North Carolina who is an elite scorer and has played off the ball.
The Red Storm have had a designated point guard during the two seasons in which Pitino was at the helm. In his first season, it was Jenkins, who is now in a two-way contract with the Pistons. Last season it was Richmond and, to a lesser extent, Smith. Richmond was signed to a two-way contract with the Washington Wizards. Smith played in the summer league with the Atlanta Hawks.
"We had big shoes to fill at the point," Pitino said in a social media post after Jackson signed. ''Kadary and Deivon were awesome. The ball is now in the hands of our next great point. Let's Go Ian!!!"
At an open practice last Tuesday, the transition in that role for Jackson --- who looked like the elite scorer he's been projected to be and perhaps a potential lottery pick -- wasn't all that smooth. In an otherwise excellent performance, he committed five turnovers and didn't exactly look like a point guard.
Pitino says the era of the point guard is over. It's an odd statement, given the play of Walter Clayton Jr. at Iona three years ago, Jenkins and Richmond. Before that were Peyton Siva and Russ Smith.
"It's different, especially at this level," Jackson said at a team event in mid-July. "[I] didn't play a lot of point guard last year. So to come in and have Coach believe in me to play and grow at that position, it's been great . . . It's different, especially at this level."
St. John's could be the team that Pitino envisions. The Red Storm could be one that runs on every defensive rebound and players who look for each other.
And given their strength, maybe there won't be a ton of close games. But who will make the tough decisions?
That brings us to Dylan Darling. He is the junior transfer from Idaho State who was the Big Sky Conference Player of the Year last season. He sounded like an odd selection as the Red Storm brought in so many NBA-capable players.
Pitino is right until he is wrong. He says the starting lineup could change five times before the season starts. Still, Darling could end up being very important.