It’s hard to believe there’s something Chris Stapleton doesn’t excel at, but according to former Kentucky basketball coach, Rick Pitino, his defensive basketball skills could use some work.
LISTEN NOW: Chris Stapleton responds to Rick Pitino bashing his basketball skills
Earlier this month, Pitino took to social media with a throwback photo of Stapleton as a kid at Pitino’s basketball camp. In the caption, Pitino playfully bashes Stapleton’s defense and takes credit for encouraging a music career. “[Chris Stapleton] at KY Wildcat basketball camp,” the caption reads. “Didn't like the way he played defense. Told him to go into music instead. Don't thank me Chris, it's OK.”
During his time with Audacy’s Rob + Holly on the Friday Night Takeover, Stapleton said the post caught him completely off guard as he doesn’t know Pitino personally.
“I was like, ‘How does Rick Pitino even have a picture of me?’ Where did this picture even come from?” Stapleton shared of his first reaction to the post that was sent to him by his bass player. “I don’t know Rick Pitino, let’s be really clear. When I was a kid, my parents paid money for me to go to his basketball camp. I’ve never met Rick Pitino. I certainly grew up in Kentucky and he was a big thing when he was the UK Basketball coach in Kentucky and then later he coached for Louisville.”
While Stapleton may not know Pitino personally, he still found the humor in the photo featuring him and his older brother. “I think it’s funny, I think it’s hilarious and I think it’s kind of great,” he shared. “I was trying to dream up ways to respond to it, particularly the part where he doesn’t like the way I played defense. I wanted to say, ‘Yeah, I was just busy scoring on your a**,' or something like that.”
The verdict on his basketball skills remains up in the air, but one thing we all can agree on is Stapleton’s musical talent which ultimately landed him a spotlight at one of the biggest sporting events — the Super Bowl. In 2023, Stapleton sang a rendition of the National Anthem that many are calling one of the best of all time.
“Learning the words,” Stapleton said of his biggest focus when preparing for the national spotlight. “I mean, I knew the words, but making sure — that’s the one unforgivable thing.”
While Stapleton diligently prepared for the performance of a lifetime, he says his wife and musical partner, Morganne, continued to put the pressure on by sending him videos of the biggest National Anthem fails.
“My wife was messing with me. There’s all these ideas of people messing up so she would find the people messing up the most and she would send me those,” he shared. “I was like, ‘Please don’t send me this because I’m going to get that in my head.’”
Those videos were nowhere near Stapleton’s mind as he performed the anthem flawlessly at the big game.
Hear more about his experience singing the Anthem, most recent album, Higher, plus more ion his reaction to Pitino and tour with George Strait by checking out his conversation with Audacy’s Rob + Holly above.