Rick Pitino attends Kentucky practice: ‘There are very few places in all of basketball like Kentucky’

By ADAM ZAGORIA

Rick Pitino attended Kentucky basketball practice on Saturday and came away impressed with their offense while praising the school’s basketball tradition to its current players.

Pitino, now in his second year as the St. John’s coach, praised the “offensive movement” of the Wildcats, who are now coached by Mark Pope, a key piece of Pitino’s 1996 NCAA championship team at Kentucky. Pitino also attended Kentucky’s “Big Blue Madness” Friday night.

So proud of my Captain and his wonderful family. Watched practice and love their offensive movement! pic.twitter.com/W1nHeu21iE

— Rick Pitino (@RealPitino) October 12, 2024

In a separate interview at the football game, Pitino said Pope reminds him of Billy Donovan as a coach. Donovan, of course, won back-to-back NCAA championships at Florida and now coaches the Chicago Bulls.

“Highly, highly intelligent, runs great offensive schemes, he’s at the right place,” Pitino said of Pope. “The people are going to love him.”

Rick Pitino says Mark Pope reminds him of Billy Donovan as a coach

"Highly, highly intelligent, runs great offensive schemes, he's at the right place. The people are going to love him" https://t.co/1uNO6JobnP

— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) October 13, 2024

On Saturday, Pitino spoke to the current Wildcats and discussed some of the stars of the 1996 team, including Ron Mercer and Antoine Walker, both of whom were lottery picks.

"It's special. There are very few places in all of basketball like Kentucky." pic.twitter.com/uSFH3e3wBs

— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) October 12, 2024

Pope, meantime, took to social media to praise Pitino and said the coach “changed the trajectory of my life.”

Playing at the @universityofky for Coach P changed the trajectory of my life.

Means the world to me to have him here this weekend with our family and all of Big Blue Nation. pic.twitter.com/LmkIMgSKfK

— Mark Pope (@CoachMarkPope) October 12, 2024

Pitino and Pope have discussed a home-and-home series, with one game at Rupp in the 2025-26 season and one at either Madison Square Garden or Arthur Ashe Stadium the following year.

Meantime, Kentucky fans had a good time trolling Louisville fans during’s Pitino’s visit.

Louisville: Head coach begs people to come to their event, 8k people show up, they call it a major success

Kentucky: 22k tickets sold out in 24 minutes, new LED floor revealed, and Louisville’s best coach ever is paraded around in blue

Little brother. Forever & always pic.twitter.com/mbxB08711a

— Kentucky Stan (@kentuckycatz) October 12, 2024

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