Cruz Davis left Rick Pitino to become superstar at Hofstra: Hes a dawg

Rick Pitino didn’t need to say much to Cruz Davis.Still, the two-time national-championship-winning head coach compiled a detailed pitch to lure Davis to Iona over multiple Power Five offers in 2021.Pitino traveled to West Virginia that November to watch Davis, a four-star shooting guard, practice at Huntington Prep High School.There, Davis said Pitino compared his jump shot to Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier’s.

Pitino also told Davis that he could help him bulk up and fine tune his shot.The two stayed in contact over the ensuing months.Davis and his father, Vincent, then took an official visit to Iona the following March.

Pitino put Davis through a full workout before they went to an Italian restaurant for dinner.Afterward, Pitino told them he wanted Davis to commit before they left.Little did Pitino know, his name said enough. “He didn’t really have to say much to me, it’s Rick Pitino,” Davis said.

“Of course you want to go play for a guy like that.”Davis spent two years with Pitino — one at Iona and another when he followed him to St.John’s in 2023.

But then, their careers deviated.While Pitino guided the Johnnies to the NCAA Tournament last year, Davis transferred to Hofstra, tapping into his star potential on Long Island.

Across two years with the Pride, Davis is averaging 17.3 points and shooting 43.1 percent from the floor.Now, the redshirt junior is looking to lead Hofstra to March Madness by winning the CAA Tournament, which begins Friday.“I always said Cruz Davis was going to be a great player.He just needed the minutes,” Pitino told The Post on Feb.

20.“Cruz don’t show no fear.He’s a dawg,” former Iona teammate Keither Florence said.

“He don’t care what stage he’s on, he’s gonna perform.So I feel like whoever is up next is gonna get the wrath of Cruz.”Davis started high school at the iSchool of Lewisville (Texas) but transferred to Huntington Prep for his senior year.

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