Latest news with #Pitino
Fox Sports
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
St. John's Coach Rick Pitino On NIL, Transfer Portal: 'Complaining is of No Value'
Rick Pitino took St. John's from being a team that was nowhere to be found in the NCAA Tournament conversation to a No. 2 seed in just two seasons. How did Pitino get the Red Storm to rise to prominence so quickly? Living in the reality of NIL and the transfer portal, rather than fighting it. "I felt the change was here and quitting, resigning, complaining is of no value," Pitino said about NIL on Wednesday's edition of "The Herd." "You have to win the day. You have to get the job done, and I just felt that 'Okay, we're going to use it to the best of our abilities at St. John's.' "So, we're an urban school; we're a computer school; we play in Madison Square Garden as our home court: How can we maximize our potential by embracing the NIL and the transfer portal? We went away from high school basketball players, although we have taken one or two to develop, but by and large we've gone after older players." Pitino also expressed that parents have never been more involved in the recruiting process than now. On the basketball front, Pitino explained what his practices look like. "We have player development sessions every morning, Monday through Friday, where we go three-to-four different sessions with four players, and we try to take players like a Donovan Mitchell, a Terry Rozier who maybe's not ranked top-20 or 25 in high school, and they've got a little bit of a weakness. Donovan Mitchell had a weakness with the arc on his jump shot. Everybody's got a weakness coming out that's not top 10, so we try to take those player development sessions and make the players better," Pitino said. "Our practices, yes, are very difficult, but I will say this: They're not long. We don't go more than two hours, but we go hard for two hours. We're up and down for two hours. If I make a comment or a correction, it's going to be within 12 seconds, and then we're moving on because conditioning is a gigantic part of our style of play." After going 20-13 in the 2023-24 season, Pitino and the Red Storm put together a 31-5 campaign highlighted by winning the Big East regular-season title with an 18-2 conference record, winning the Big East Tournament and claiming a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. While St. John's was upset in the second round by No. 10 seed Arkansas, the 2024-25 season marked the first time in six years that the program had made the NCAA Tournament and the first time in 10 years that it had done so without having to play in the First Four round. On the personal front, Pitino won the 2024-25 Naismith, AP and Big East Coach of the Year awards. St. John's is Pitino's sixth full-time men's college basketball head-coaching gig, with the Hall of Famer previously coaching three seasons at Iona before leaving for Queens in March 2023. St. John's had a gargantuan transfer portal class this offseason, reeling in former five-star recruits and now sophomores Ian Jackson (previously of North Carolina) and Joson Sanon (previously of Arizona State), former Providence forward Bryce Hopkins, former Cincinnati forward Dillon Mitchell and former Stanford wing Oziyah Sellers, among others. 247Sports ranks St. John's transfer class as the best in men's college basketball. While the Red Storm have minimal returning players, they have big man and 2024-25 All-Big East honoree Zuby Ejiofor back for his senior season. Next season, St. John's will square off against SEC powerhouses Alabama and Kentucky, among other notable out-of-conference matchups. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience College Basketball Big East St. John's Red Storm recommended Get more from College Basketball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
New York Post
15-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Mark Jackson grateful for Rick Pitino's Knicks coaching endorsement: ‘Got great taste'
The Knicks coaching search has gone from sloppy to embarrassing, and one of their former coaches, Rick Pitino, proactively said he has no interest in the job. But Pitino did stump for one of his former Knick players, suggesting they hire Mark Jackson in the Garden. Advertisement And the seemingly blackballed Jackson — who hasn't coached in over a decade — appreciated the endorsement of his mentor. 'He's a legend. I love him to death,' Jackson, speaking on SiriusXM NBA Radio, said of Pitino, who coached the point guard during his first two seasons with the Knicks. Jackson won NBA Rookie of the Year under Pitino in 1988 and was an All-Star the next season. 3 Rick Pitino addresses reporters during a press conference on March 21, 2025. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post Advertisement 'I'm not in the league 17 years playing if he's not my first coach,' Jackson said. 'I'm forever grateful, and he's Coach to me. 'He's a brilliant basketball mind. He's turned over St. John's University and turned back the hand of time to bring them back to their glory days. It's great to watch. It's fun to watch. He's one of the greatest coaches in the history of sports, not just basketball. And on top of that, he's got great taste by that statement.' One can question the Knicks' taste in abruptly firing Tom Thibodeau on June 3, just three days after they were eliminated from their first Eastern Conference finals since 2000. Advertisement 3 ESPN analyst Mark Jackson is pictured before a December 2018 game. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Since then, Knicks president Leon Rose has been denied permission to speak with Dallas' Jason Kidd, Houston's Ime Udoka, Minnesota's Chris Finch, Atlanta's Quin Snyder and Chicago's Billy Donovan, according to multiple reports. The Post's Stefan Bondy has confirmed the Knicks are expected to interview former Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins and former Kings coach Mike Brown, each fired earlier this season. The Post reached out to the agents for both Jenkins and Brown on Saturday, with neither returning calls. Advertisement 3 Mark Jackson coaches during a December 2013 game for the Warriors. Getty Images Though there is no indication Jackson is a candidate for a Garden return, Pitino — who coached the Knicks from 1987-89, and earned AP Coach of the Year this season for St. John's — took to social media earlier this week to tell his former employer that there is an ideal candidate actually available. 'I obviously coached our rookie of the year, Mark Jackson,' Pitino tweeted Wednesday. 'I believe he spent 18 years in the NBA as a player. Great coach with the Warriors and one of the brightest minds I've coached. Would love to see the Knicks bring Mark Jackson home!!' Certainly New York would be a return home for Jackson, after growing up in Brooklyn and starring at St. John's before having two stints with the Knicks in a 17-year playing career. What's happening on and off the Garden court Sign up for Inside the Knicks by Stefan Bondy, a weekly exclusive on Sports+. Thank you Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Check out more newsletters He coached Golden State from 2011-14 and played a key role in turning around a losing Warriors team into a contending team. But after posting a 121-109 record with two playoff appearances in Golden State, Jackson was fired in 2014 and hasn't coached since. The Post also has reported that ex-Villanova coach Jay Wright isn't interested in the Knicks job despite the presence of former Wildcats Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart. Advertisement UConn's Dan Hurley also preemptively withdrew. Michael Malone (who won the 2023 NBA title with Denver), Frank Vogel (who won with the Lakers in 2020) and Mike Budenholzer (who won with Milwaukee in 2021) are available, as are Detroit assistant Luke Walton and Cleveland assistant Johnnie Bryant, the latter of whom was Thibodeau's associate head coach from 2020-24.
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Boston Celtics coach does not want Knicks job: ‘Absolutely not'
The Knicks surprised the rest of the basketball world earlier this week when they fired coach Tom Thibodeau despite their best playoff run in 25 years. Now, the rumors are rampant for the top job in New York as the Knicks are looking to push all-in with their current roster. Count Rick Pitino out as a potential name. The former Celtics coach, now at St. John's, was blunt when asked if he wanted the job: 'Absolutely not.' He was on-air during a broadcast between the Yankees and Guardians, pointing out the pressure that will come for the Knicks' next guy. Advertisement 'I think whoever comes in, if he doesn't get to the Finals, it's going to be deemed an unsuccessful season,' Pitino said. 'So, whoever comes in has got so much pressure on them to take this team to the next level because that's why they're doing it, obviously, in their minds.' Pitino, 72, has had a long coaching career with multiple stops in both the NBA and in the college ranks. He did coach the Knicks from 1987-89 for two seasons. But the last time he was an NBA head coach was with the Celtics from 1997-2001 before he resigned. Since then, Pitino spent 2001-17 with Louisville. But there was also the 'pay for play' scandal with the Cardinals which eventually led to him losing his job. Back then, before the current age of NIL, paying for players was illegal, amongst other details. It took a few years but Pitino made his way back to the college ranks, starting with Iona and now with the Red Storm. St. John's had a stellar season in Pitino's second year there, going 31-5 and winning both the Big Ten regular season and tournament titles. While they were upset in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, Pitino was right back in the national spotlight. Advertisement The Knicks are looking to take the next step themselves as the franchise hasn't won an NBA title since 1973. New York had a surprise run to the East Finals, including upsetting the Celtics in six games in the second round. But the Knicks weren't able to get back to the NBA Finals, falling in six games to the Pacers. The Knicks have talented players on their roster, but they also must capitalize on that. They traded significant draft assets to get to this point, and with the East looking like a potential question mark going forward, the organization is looking at a short window of contention. That's where the new head coach figures to be a big part of the equation. 'I feel bad for Thibs because I think he captured all of New York and built something very, very special,' Pitino said, per SNY. 'A lot of us don't comprehend what happened. But Thibs is going to be well-taken-care-of and he'll move onto other pastures.' More Celtics content Read the original article on MassLive.
Fox Sports
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
UConn's Dan Hurley, St. John's Rick Pitino not interested in Knicks HC job
If the New York Knicks want their next head coach to be one who has Big East ties, they'll have to look for someone other than two of the conference's top current coaches. UConn's Dan Hurley and St. John's Rick Pitino have each turned down interest in the Knicks' head coach vacancy. Hurley had been viewed as a possible frontrunner for the Knicks' head coach position after expressing interest in the Los Angeles Lakers' head coach job last offseason. However, he ended up turning down Los Angeles after receiving an offer, with his ties to the Northeast being cited as a reason why he opted to remain at UConn. "Not another summer of that," Hurley told The Hartford Courant when asked if he had any interest in the Knicks' job. Hurley wound up agreeing to a six-year, $50 million extension with UConn after turning down the Lakers. The Huskies' bid to become the first team to three-peat as national champions in over 50 years fell short, with UConn losing in the Round of 32 last season. Pitino's St. John's squad was one of the roadblocks UConn dealt with along the way as the Johnnies won the Big East regular-season and tournament titles. It marked the first time since 1992 that St. John's had won the regular season title and the first time since 2000 that it had won the Big East tournament title. St. John's runs to both titles captivated New York City and made Pitino one of the most popular figures in the city's sports scene. But Pitino made it clear he didn't want the Knicks job after they fired Thom Thibodeau following their run to the Eastern Conference finals on Tuesday, mentioning the enormous expectations the next coach will have to deal with. "Absolutely not," Pitino said when asked during the YES Network's broadcast of Wednesday's game between the New York Yankees and the Cleveland Guardians, in which he threw the first pitch. "I think whoever comes in, if he doesn't get to the Finals, it's going to be deemed an unsuccessful season," Pitino added. "So, whoever comes in has got so much pressure on them to take this team to the next level, 'cause that's why they're doing it, obviously, in their minds." Pitino, a 72-year-old New York native, was the head coach of the Knicks for two seasons in the late 1980s (1987-89). New York went 90-74 in Pitino's tenure. Pitino also had a three-plus-year stint as the head coach of the Boston Celtics from 1997-2001 before resigning. As Hurley and Pitino have taken themselves off the board, there are a handful of other notable options for the Knicks in their search to replace Thibodeau. Former Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone opened up as the betting favorite, via DraftKings Sportsbook. Cleveland Cavaliers associate head coach Johnnie Bryant has the second-best odds to become the Knicks' next head coach. Bryant, who was the Knicks' associate head coach from 2020-24, was one of the finalists for the Phoenix Suns' head coach vacancy, but they agreed to a deal to hire fellow Cavaliers assistant Jordan Ott on Wednesday. Former Villanova coach Jay Wright has also been a widely speculated candidate for the job. He coached three of the team's top players in college (Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart), lending some credence to the rumors he could be the team's next head coach. But FOX Sports college basketball expert John Fanta doesn't anticipate Wright unretiring to coach the Knicks. "Jay Wright is enjoying red wine, basketball, television and his family," Fanta said on "The Herd." "If he wanted to coach again, he'd be the Villanova coach. "Jay Wright is not going anywhere." The Knicks also have interest in Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka and Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd, longtime NBA insider Marc Stein reported. After capturing the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, Houston isn't interested in letting New York potentially negotiate a deal and trade involving Udoka, per The Athletic. As New York gets in the trenches in its head coach search, the decision to fire Thibodeau still felt a bit of a surprise to many. He helped turn around the Knicks in his five seasons as head coach, making the playoffs four times following an eight-year postseason drought. This past season marked their best playoff run in a quarter-century, with New York reaching the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2000. Following their second-round upset of the defending champion Celtics, the Knicks fell to the Indiana Pacers in six games. Pitino seemed to be among those surprised by the move, too. "I think everybody's kind of shocked," Pitino said. "You don't fire people that take you to the Eastern finals and with the whole town so excited about the team. They partied on 7th Avenue and we're not even in the Finals. So I think everybody's in shock. But rather than pass judgement, Thibs has got three years left. "They made the decision. They've got to live with it. Let's see." Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily ! recommended Get more from National Basketball Association Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Time of India
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Will Rick Pitino join New York Knicks as head coach? Former Louisville coach gives honest reaction after Tom Thibodeau's dismissal
The New York Knicks' sudden decision to part ways with head coach Tom Thibodeau sent shockwaves through the basketball world, especially after the team's strong playoff performance. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Naturally, speculation swirled about who might step into the high-pressure role next, and some eyes turned to longtime college coaching legend Rick Pitino. But during a recent public appearance in the Bronx, Pitino made it very clear: a move to Madison Square Garden is not on his agenda. Rick Pitino shuts down New York Knicks rumors while showing support for Thibodeau Tom Thibodeau was dismissed after five seasons as New York Knicks head coach, despite leading the team to the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals. Image via: Getty Images Rick Pitino, now the head coach at St. John's University, was at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. But the baseball diamond didn't stop the basketball questions. When asked if he had any interest in replacing Thibodeau as head coach of the Knicks, Pitino gave a response that was both blunt and final. 'Absolutely not,' Pitino said with a smirk, quickly shutting down the conversation. Though he firmly declined the idea of returning to the NBA sidelines, Pitino did express empathy for Thibodeau, who led the Knicks to one of their most competitive stretches in decades. 'I feel bad for Thibs because he captured all of New York, built something very, very special,' Pitino told reporters. "A lot of us don't comprehend what happened, but Thibs is going to be well taken care of and he'll move on to other pastures. " The move to fire Thibodeau came just days after the Knicks' playoff run ended in the Eastern Conference Finals, marking their first appearance at that stage in 25 years. Under Thibodeau's leadership, New York posted back-to-back 50-win seasons, something the franchise hadn't seen since the 1990s. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In a formal statement, Knicks president Leon Rose credited Thibodeau for his impact. "We can't thank Tom enough for pouring his heart and soul into each and every day of being the New York Knicks head coach," Rose said. "He led us not only with class and professionalism for the past five seasons, but also to tremendous success on the court... Tom will always be a part of our Knicks family and we truly wish him nothing but the best in the future. " "Only time tells with those things," Pitino remarked when asked if the Knicks made the right call. "So we'll see." Pitino, now 72, also shared about his career prospects. 'As long as you're mentally and physically sharp, you do it as long as you can. Because coaching is a blessing. It's the second-best thing to playing. I have been blessed with over 50 years of coaching, and I hope it continues as long as I can do it,' Pitino said (via SNY). Pitino, known for his impressive track record both on the basketball court and in promoting academic excellence among his players, has held head coaching positions at several prominent programs. His career includes leading the University of Louisville from 2001 to 2017, highlighted by a national championship win in 2013, and guiding the University of Kentucky to the 1996 NCAA title during his tenure from 1989 to 1997. He also coached at Providence College (1985–1987), Boston University (1978–1983), and served as interim head coach for the final six games at Hawaii during the 1975–76 season. Also Read: So far, the Knicks' front office has yet to reveal their new potential hire for the team as head coach.
