Chris Mullin has been named the next head coach at St. John's, the school announced Tuesday.

Mullin, 51, is one of the greatest players in St. John's history, winning the Big East Player of the Year award three times in the 1980s. He was drafted seventh overall in the 1985 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors, playing in five straight All-Star Games from 1989 to 1993. Mullin is also a two-time Olympic gold medalist and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

"Obviously, it's a surreal experience coming home and returning to St. John's University. This is a role I have been preparing for all of my life," Mullin said. "There are so many people who have had a great influence on me to reach this point, especially my parents, Coach [Lou] Carnesecca and my former teammates."

Since retiring, Mullin has spent time in the front offices of the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings.

Carnesecca, Mullin's former coach at St. John's, told ESPN.com's Ian O'Connor that he offered the new coach of the Red Storm some advice.

"We talked, and you have to understand this is a big thing for Chris, a major, major step," Carnesecca said. "He had a good thing going [in Sacramento], where he could come and go as he wants. Now it's a vocation. This is no longer a job, it's a vocation."

Carnesecca also believes Mullin has the makings of a good coach.