4 Steve Masiello

Steve Masiello was born Stephen John Masiello Jr. on September 2, 1977, in Yonkers, New York, to Kathryn and Stephen Masiello. Raised in White Plains, his connection to basketball deepened in the seventh grade after a chance meeting with New York Knicks guard Mark Jackson. That encounter eventually led Masiello to become a Knicks ball boy at Madison Square Garden while Rick Pitino coached the team. After attending Archbishop Stepinac High School for two years, he transferred to the Harvey School in Katonah, New York. Masiello averaged 19.9 points and 6.0 assists as a junior and earned tournament MVP honors after scoring 38 points with nine assists in Harvey’s New England prep-school championship victory. As a senior, he averaged 34.5 points and 8.0 assists, scored more than 1,000 points during his two seasons at Harvey and earned first-team All-New England recognition. Although Niagara offered him an athletic scholarship, Masiello accepted Pitino’s invitation to walk on at Kentucky, believing the experience would prepare him for a future in coaching.

Masiello joined the Wildcats for the 1996–97 season and quickly became one of Rupp Arena’s most popular reserves. Pitino praised the lightly recruited guard for having the “heart of a lion,” while Kentucky fans greeted his appearances with some of their loudest cheers. He played in 23 games as a freshman, scored his first collegiate points against Syracuse and made his first three-pointer against Villanova. He also appeared in the SEC Tournament championship game against Georgia and saw late action in Kentucky’s national championship loss to Arizona. More important than his limited minutes was the energy and competitiveness he brought to practice, helping prepare a team that finished 35–5 and reached the NCAA title game.

Under Tubby Smith, Masiello appeared in 18 games during Kentucky’s 1997–98 national championship season. He scored a career-high six points against South Carolina in the SEC Tournament and appeared in three NCAA Tournament games as the Wildcats captured their seventh national title. His commitment earned him the Reggie Hanson Sacrifice Award, given in recognition of the work he performed each day despite knowing that substantial playing time would be rare. When Kentucky played Canisius in Buffalo that season, the city’s mayor proclaimed the occasion “Steve Masiello Day.” As a junior, Masiello played in 14 games and recorded 10 assists against only two turnovers. Smith rewarded his effort with his first collegiate start against Wright State, in which he contributed two rebounds and two assists in nine minutes.

Before the 1999–2000 season, Smith awarded Masiello an athletic scholarship after three years as a walk-on. He appeared in 15 games as a senior and served as a co-captain, providing leadership to a relatively young Kentucky team. Masiello completed his four-year career with 43 points, 21 rebounds and 25 assists in 69 games. During his time in Lexington, the Wildcats compiled a 121–28 record, won three SEC Tournament championships, reached two Final Fours and captured the 1998 NCAA championship. Reflecting on the experience, Masiello said he had no regrets about choosing Kentucky, viewing both the 1997 championship defeat and the following season’s title as important parts of his development.

Masiello began his coaching career as an administrative assistant at Tulane in 2000–01 before serving four seasons as an assistant at Manhattan. He rejoined Pitino at Louisville in 2005 and spent six seasons there, developing a reputation as an energetic recruiter and one of the country’s promising young assistant coaches. On April 11, 2011, he was named Manhattan’s 24th head coach. Masiello compiled a 162–177 record over 11 seasons and guided the Jaspers to consecutive MAAC Tournament championships and NCAA Tournament appearances in 2014 and 2015. After leaving Manhattan in October 2022, he joined Pitino at Iona as director of basketball operations for the remainder of the 2022–23 season. He followed Pitino to St. John’s in 2023 and currently serves as associate head coach of the Red Storm. His career has kept him closely connected to the coach who first welcomed him into the Knicks’ gym and later gave him the opportunity to begin his Kentucky journey.