Six years after controversy derailed his career, Rick Pitino’s redemption arc that began at Iona is nearly complete with reports linking him to openings at two major programs. According to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports, the Hall-of-Famer has emerged as a serious candidate to replace Mike Anderson at St. John’s following their loss to top-seeded Marquette in Thursday’s Big East quarterfinals. Texas Tech has shown similar interest, targeting Pitino for the vacancy left by Mark Adams, who resigned after making “racially insensitive” remarks toward one of his players earlier this week. Both present significant advancement opportunities, returning Pitino to mainstream relevance after many years out of the spotlight.
Pitino departed Louisville in disgrace following a highly publicized corruption scandal (a "pay-for-play" racket that would ultimately cost them 123 wins), with the NCAA taking the unprecedented measure of vacating the school’s 2013 National Championship. After a spell coaching overseas in Greece, Pitino would resurface at Iona in 2020, quickly transforming the Gaels into one of the better mid-majors in college hoops.
Pitino, who has also coached Kentucky, Providence, Boston University, the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics, ranks ninth among active Division I coaches in career victories, boasting an overall .710 winning percentage (709-289) over 35 NCAA seasons. The Long Island native can add to that total with a victory over Niagara in Friday night’s MAAC semis, with tipoff slated for 6 PM ET in Atlantic City. The Gaels are seeking their second tournament appearance in three years after making the dance as a 15-seed in 2021.
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