Rick Pitino

Date of Birth: September 18, 1952

Zodiac Sign: Virgo

Biography

Rick Pitino is a renowned American basketball coach and former player, widely recognized for his successful and often controversial career in collegiate and professional basketball. Born Richard Andrew Pitino in New York City, Pitino has held head coaching positions at several prestigious institutions, including the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville, and Providence College. He also had stints in the NBA, coaching the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics. Pitino began his coaching career as an assistant at the University of Hawaii before moving on to Boston University, where he earned his first head coaching position. He gained national attention for leading Providence College to the Final Four in 1987. He later took over the University of Kentucky program, where he won a national championship in 1996. In 2001, Pitino took the helm at the University of Louisville, leading the team to multiple NCAA tournament appearances and another national championship in 2013. However, his tenure at Louisville was marred by scandals, leading to his dismissal in 2017. Despite the controversies, Pitino remains a respected figure in the basketball community and continues to coach, most recently taking the position as the head coach of Iona College in 2020.

5 Interesting Facts about Rick Pitino

1. Rick Pitino is the only coach in NCAA history to lead three different schools to the Final Four: Providence, Kentucky, and Louisville.

2. He authored a motivational book titled “Success Is a Choice,” which became a bestseller.

3. Pitino is known for his up-tempo style of play and full-court press defense.

4. He has been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

5. Pitino’s tenure at Louisville ended in controversy due to a recruiting scandal that led to the NCAA vacating the 2013 national championship.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Rick Pitino

1. “Success is a choice. You can choose to be successful. It’s not something that happens to you.”

2. “Humility is the true key to success.”

3. “Excellence is the unlimited ability to improve the quality of what you have to offer.”

4. “The only way to get people to do great things is to inspire them to do great things.”

5. “Failure is good. It’s fertilizer. Everything I’ve learned about coaching, I’ve learned from making mistakes.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Rick Pitino’s highest net worth achieved is estimated to be around $45 million.

Children

Rick Pitino has five children: Michael, Christopher, Richard, Ryan, and Jacqueline. His son Richard Pitino is also a well-known basketball coach, currently serving as the head coach of the University of New Mexico men’s basketball team.