Pitino led Kentucky to an NCAA championship in 1996 and Louisville to a national championship in 2013. He was the first coach to lead three different schools (Providence, Kentucky, and Louisville) to the NCAA Final Four, and is the only coach to win a national championship at two different schools.

19 hours ago · St. John’s head coach Rick Pitino, left, talks with an official during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Georgetown, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, in Washington. ... play it 0-0 and dominate” — Kentucky in 1996 on the way to a national title. St. John’s is not there yet, and that’s OK to Pitino.

The variables around Pitino’s return were very different than Calipari’s — Rick left Kentucky on a high for the NBA whereas Cal went straight to Arkansas on a low, Louisville is a much bigger rival than Arkansas, etc. — but both will go down as significant …

Oct 12, 2024 · Rick Pitino was wildly cheered in a surprise return to Rupp Arena, with the Hall of Fame coach saying “I am so happy to be back” in a show of support for first-year Kentucky coach and former captain Mark Pope on Friday night at the Big Blue Madness public practice.

Oct 15, 2024 · Rick Pitino was nearly brought to tears in his return to Kentucky, as fans gave him an overwhelming ovation at Big Blue Madness.

Oct 12, 2024 · A visibly emotional Rick Pitino, back at Rupp Arena donned in Kentucky blue for the first time in decades, was a fitting finale Friday night to a Big Blue Madness event that honored the...

Rick Pitino, American basketball coach who was the first head coach to win a men’s NCAA Division I national championship with two different schools (the University of Kentucky in 1996 and the University of Louisville in 2013).

Oct 12, 2024 · Nearly three decades after he led Kentucky to the 1996 national championship, Pitino walked onto the floor at Rupp Arena and was cheered loudly by fans during Kentucky's Big Blue Madness event....

Mar 11, 2024 · Rick Pitino with Celtics The 72-year-old coach had a 219-50 (84%) record with Kentucky, including the NCAA Championship and three Final Four appearances. But the move to the league changed the course of his career, as he went 192-220 with two playoff appearances with the Celtics but was fired during the 2000-01 season.

Jun 28, 2024 · For close to two decades, Rick Pitino was a villain to Kentucky basketball fans, a man whose life and career had an almost Shakespearean arc. After leading the Wildcats from the depths of scandal to championship glory, and after an ill-fated three-year run with the Boston Celtics, Pitino stunned many nationally and angered hundreds of thousands across the commonwealth by returning to the ...