By ADAM ZAGORIA
Rick Pitino enjoyed homecoming weekend at Kentucky, but doesn’t foresee a reconciliation with the other school he coached in the state.
Pitino, now the St. John’s coach, was fired by Louisville in 2017 after multiple scandals, but was essentially exonerated in the pay-for-play scheme by the Independent Accountability Resolution Process (IARP) in 2022.
Asked by local TV station WHAS-11 on Saturday if he would ever return to Louisville, Pitino said, “I don’t think it’s going to happen. It’s sort of like Bob Knight and Indiana.”
After winning an NCAA championship at Kentucky in 1996, Pitino led Louisville to an NCAA title in 2013. Four years later, the NCAA stripped Louisville of 123 wins from 2010-14, including the title, following an investigation that found that former director of basketball operations Andre McGee arranged “striptease dances and sex acts for prospects, student-athletes and others.” Pitino has long insisted he knew nothing about it and in the 2022 IARP ruling, both Pitino and ex-Louisville coach Chris Mack avoided punishment entirely. “Additionally, the hearing panel determined no violation by former head coach No. 1 (Pitino) occurred given that he demonstrated he promoted an atmosphere of compliance,” the IARP findings read. “Well, I love my players and I love the fans of Louisville,” Pitino said Saturday. “I’ve never been invited back to Louisville. They fired me, quite abruptly and not very nicely, but I harbor nothing against the fans and certainly nothing against my players. “I love them dearly, I love the fans dearly, but I’ve never been invited back one time. I’ve just been fired. Mark Stoops invited me back, Mark Pope invited me back, and so I accepted the invitation.” Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter Follow ZAGSBLOGHoops on Instagram And Like ZAGS on FacebookWATCH: I ran into Rick Pitino tonight and asked him about his feelings toward Louisville. He says he has no ill-will towards UofL fans or his former players, but as far as reconciling a relationship with the school like his with Kentucky: "I don't think it's going to happen."… pic.twitter.com/6CPCwbdB3j
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) October 12, 2024
