St. John’s coach Rick Pitino’s pitch to Joel Soriano was straightforward: He was going to take the standout center’s game to a new level.
One area of focus: shooting 3-pointers. Yes, the 6-foot-11 big man from Yonkers will be letting it fly from deep next season.
“I just told him, ‘I’m going to make you a lot better than you are. You are going to take two or three 3’s a game, and I’m going to make you a great 3-point shooter,’ ” Pitino told The Post in a recent interview. “That’s not going to be his forte, but he’s going to shoot 3’s. He’s going to be in some pick-and-pop situations as the clock is winding down. He’s got to take and make 3’s.”
When asked about that new wrinkle in his game, Soriano laughed and said: “That’s great. I’ve just got to make them now.”
In the recent graduate’s four-year college career, Soriano has never attempted a 3-pointer.
His strength lies in the paint.
He was second nationally in double-doubles last year with 25, behind only Purdue’s Zach Edey, the National Player of the Year.
An All-Big East second team selection, Soriano posted career-highs of 15.2 points, 11.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists as the Red Storm’s best and most consistent player.
He has rarely spent time on the perimeter, though he did show a nice touch as a mid-range jump-shooter at times last season, and shot a respectable 73 percent from the free-throw line.
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He will be asked to expand the range on his jumper even more next season.
“I feel good about it,” Soriano said. “I shoot 3’s playing pickup when I’m playing one on one, two on two, playing in any summer leagues. I shoot 3’s. I’m definitely comfortable with it.”
The night before Pitino’s introductory press conference as the team’s new coach on March 21, Soriano opted to stick with St. John’s rather than explore the transfer portal.
Pitino felt just by keeping Soriano it helped with other recruits, who knew by picking St. John’s they would be playing with one of the best centers in the country.
Soriano already has begun to get a sense of how different next year will be, just from his workouts with Pitino and the new coaching staff.
“When I started, I remember my first couple of workouts, it was something I’ve never seen before,” Soriano said. “It’s more in-game type of speed. You’re always moving during the workout. There’s not really any breaks. It’s trying to mimic a game, so when you get in a game, it’s muscle memory.
“I think it’s preparing me, not just for this level, but for the next level. … Just getting me out of my comfort zone. We work on post-ups, a lot more ball-handling, a lot more shooting.”
That includes 3-pointers.
The big man will be given the green light by his new coach.
