Rick Pitino

American basketball coach

Rick Pitino is a legendary basketball coach who has led several teams to success, including winning a national championship with the University of Kentucky in 1996. He’s the only coach to win a national title at two different schools, but his career has also been marked by controversies, including an escort sex scandal at the University of Louisville.

Table of Contents

About the Rick Pitino

Richard Andrew Pitinois an American basketball coach who is the head men’s basketball coach at St. John’s University. He was also the head coach of Greece’s senior national team. He has been the head coach of several teams in NCAA Division I and in the NBA, including Boston Universityto the NCAA Final Four, and is the only coach to win a national championship at two different schools (Kentucky and Louisville*). * Vacated by the NCAA

In 2013, he was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

In June 2017, the NCAA suspended Pitino for five games of the 2017-18 season for his lack of oversight in an escort sex scandal at the University of Louisville involving recruits. Louisville’s national championship from 2013 was eventually vacated as well. In September, Pitino was implicated in a federal investigation involving bribes to recruits, which resulted in Louisville firing him for cause.

On March 20, 2023, he was named head basketball coach at St. John’s University.

Frequently Asked Questions

Rick Pitino has been the head coach of several NCAA Division I and NBA teams, including Boston University, Providence College, the New York Knicks, the University of Kentucky, the Boston Celtics, the University of Louisville, Panathinaikos in Greece, and Iona University.

Rick Pitino is the only coach to win a national championship at two different schools, leading the University of Kentucky to a title in 1996 and the University of Louisville to a championship in 2013 (later vacated by the NCAA).

Rick Pitino has faced several controversies, including an escort sex scandal at the University of Louisville that resulted in the vacating of the school’s 2013 national championship, and his implication in a federal investigation involving bribes to recruits, which led to his termination from Louisville.

Rick Pitino was born on September 18, 1952 in New York City.

On March 20, 2023, Rick Pitino was named the new head basketball coach at St. John’s University.

Yes, Rick Pitino was the head coach of Greece’s senior national team for a period of time.

Rick Pitino was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.

13 Quotes by Rick Pitino

  1. 1.

    The other guys just caught lightning in a bottle with a great game.

    Rick Pitino

    American basketball coach

  2. 2.

    If I didn’t have a recruiting engagement, I was going to be here. I did everything possible to change the recruiting thing. I’m a very small part of this night, but I did want to be a part of it.

    Rick Pitino

    American basketball coach

  3. 3.

    I’d learned how much happiness money can bring you. Very little.

    Rick Pitino

    American basketball coach

  4. 4.

    Failure is good. It’s fertilizer. Everything I’ve learned about coaching, I’ve learned from making mistakes.

    Rick Pitino

    American basketball coach

  5. 5.

    I just don’t deal with the negativity. I can’t get involved in that side of it. I don’t understand it, and you can’t let it take away from your life and what you are trying to do.

    Rick Pitino

    American basketball coach

  6. 6.

    I can say that hands down from being in this business 32 years; we’re going to be much better than we were last year just because there’s eight new players that now have experience and Palacios will be healthy.

    Rick Pitino

    American basketball coach

  7. 7.

    I’m at the stage of my career when it’s not only about winning and developing players, it’s about having fun. That’s a void in your life right now, but it’s something you’re going to have here.

    Rick Pitino

    American basketball coach

  8. 8.

    After September 11, I don’t think people really believe things like this are all that important.

    Rick Pitino

    American basketball coach

  9. 9.

    Excellence is the unlimited ability to improve the quality of what you have to offer.

    Rick Pitino

    American basketball coach

  10. 10.

    The only way to get people to like working hard is to motivate them. Today, people must understand why they’re working hard. Every individual in an organization is motivated by something different.

    Rick Pitino

    American basketball coach

  11. 11.

    Francisco Garcia could have been a high draft choice last year, probably in the 20s. He’s the best wing player I’ve ever coached. But he’s done it the right way. He knew he had to work on his body to become a good pro. When he goes into the pros, he’ll be physically ready.

    Rick Pitino

    American basketball coach

  12. 12.

    It could happen to anyone when you get hired by a different president. There’s a difference in philosophies. It happens. It’s a change in CEOs. They have their own people, their own philosophies, and it’s different than what Bob stands for.

    Rick Pitino

    American basketball coach

  13. 13.

    He knew I enjoyed the relationships of college basketball. All along, he was the wise one.

    Rick Pitino

    American basketball coach