History of Rick Pitino in Timeline
Rick Pitino is a prominent American basketball coach currently leading St. John's University's men's team. With a career spanning NCAA Division I and the NBA, he's coached teams like Boston University, Providence College, the New York Knicks, Kentucky, and Louisville. He also coached the Boston Celtics and professionally with Panathinaikos and Iona University. Pitino briefly coached Greece's national team. His extensive coaching history demonstrates a significant impact on basketball at both collegiate and professional levels.
September 18, 1952: Rick Pitino Born
On September 18, 1952, Richard Andrew Pitino, later known as a prominent American basketball coach, was born.
1970: Enrolls at UMass Amherst
In 1970, Rick Pitino enrolled at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
1974: Earned Degree from UMass
In 1974, Rick Pitino earned his degree from the University of Massachusetts.
1974: Graduate Assistant at Hawaii
In 1974, Rick Pitino started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Hawaii.
1975: Full-Time Assistant at Hawaii
In 1975, Rick Pitino became a full-time assistant coach at the University of Hawaii.
1976: Pitino marries Joanne Minardi
In 1976, Rick Pitino married Joanne Minardi.
1976: First Assistant Hired by Jim Boeheim
In 1976, Rick Pitino was the first assistant coach hired by Jim Boeheim at Syracuse University.
1977: NCAA Report on Sanctions Against Hawaii
In 1977, Rick Pitino was implicated in 8 of the 64 infractions that led the University of Hawaii to be placed on probation by the NCAA.
1978: Head Coach at Boston University
In 1978, Rick Pitino became the head coach of Boston University's men's basketball team.
1979: Mike Flanagan wins AL Cy Young Award
In 1979, Mike Flanagan, a former teammate of Pitino's, won the AL Cy Young Award.
1983: End of Tenure at Boston University
In 1983, Rick Pitino's tenure as the head coach of Boston University concluded.
1985: Head Coach at Providence College
In 1985, Rick Pitino became the head coach at Providence College.
1985: St. John's Final Four run
In Rick Pitino's second season in 2025, St. John's had their first 30-win season since their 1985 run to the Final Four.
1986: Three-Point Field Goal Nationally Codified
The three-point field goal was nationally codified for the 1986-87 season.
July 14, 1987: Named Head Coach of the New York Knicks
On July 14, 1987, Rick Pitino became the head coach of the New York Knicks.
1987: Head Coach of the New York Knicks
In 1987, Rick Pitino took on the role of head coach for the New York Knicks in the NBA.
1987: Death of Daniel Pitino
In 1987, Rick Pitino's son, Daniel, died from congenital heart failure at the age of six months. Rick and Joanne established the Daniel Pitino Foundation in his memory.
1987: NCAA adopts 3-point shot
In 1987, the NCAA adopted the 3-point shot, and Rick Pitino is considered one of the first coaches to promote fully taking advantage of it. His teams at Kentucky in the early 1990s were known as Pitino's Bombinos.
1988: Publication of Born to Coach
In 1988, Rick Pitino published his autobiography entitled Born to Coach, describing his life up until his time with the Knicks.
May 30, 1989: Resigned from the New York Knicks
On May 30, 1989, Rick Pitino resigned from his position as head coach of the New York Knicks.
1989: Head Coach at Kentucky
In 1989, Rick Pitino became the head coach at Kentucky, following a major recruiting scandal.
1989: Pitino Dismisses NCAA Report
In 1989, Rick Pitino dismissed the 1977 NCAA report and denied making any mistakes.
1990: Kentucky ineligible for NCAA and SEC Tournaments
In 1990, Kentucky was ineligible for both the NCAA and SEC Tournaments due to sanctions from the Eddie Sutton era.
1991: Kentucky ineligible for NCAA and SEC Tournaments
In 1991, Kentucky was ineligible for both the NCAA and SEC Tournaments due to sanctions from the Eddie Sutton era.
1993: Kentucky reaches Final Four
In 1993, Rick Pitino led Kentucky to the Final Four in the NCAA tournament.
1996: Kentucky wins NCAA Championship
In 1996, Rick Pitino led Kentucky to win the NCAA tournament, marking Kentucky's 6th NCAA Championship.
1996: NCAA Championship with Kentucky
In 1996, Rick Pitino led the University of Kentucky to an NCAA championship.
May 6, 1997: Hired as Head Coach of the Boston Celtics
On May 6, 1997, Rick Pitino was hired as the head coach of the Boston Celtics.
1997: Head Coach of the Boston Celtics
In 1997, Rick Pitino became the head coach of the Boston Celtics.
1997: Kentucky loses NCAA Title Game
In 1997, Rick Pitino's Kentucky team made it back to the national title game but lost to Arizona in overtime in the finals of the NCAA tournament.
1998: 19-31 Record
In 1998, Pitino's 19-31 record made him little better in the eyes of many Boston fans than his inexperienced predecessor, M.L. Carr.
1998: Kentucky wins National Title and Pitino Departure
In 1998, after Pitino left Kentucky, the team went on to win the national title.
1999: St. John's last reached the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament
Before Rick Pitino's appointment in 2023, St. John's last reached the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament in 1999.
March 1, 2000: Frustration reaches critical mass
On March 1, 2000, after being beaten by the Toronto Raptors, Pitino challenged Celtics fans and the media to let go of the past and focus on the future during a press address.
2000: St. John's last Big East Conference championship
Before Rick Pitino's appointment in 2023, St. John's had not won a Big East Conference championship since 2000.
January 8, 2001: Resigned from Boston Celtics
On January 8, 2001, Rick Pitino resigned from his position as head coach of the Boston Celtics.
March 21, 2001: Hired as Head Coach at Louisville
On March 21, 2001, Rick Pitino returned to college coaching and became the head coach at the University of Louisville following Denny Crum's retirement.
September 11, 2001: Death of Billy Minardi in 9/11 attacks
On September 11, 2001, Joanne Pitino's brother and Rick Pitino's close friend, Billy Minardi, was working as a bond trader for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 105th floor of the north tower of the World Trade Center when it was struck by American Airlines Flight 11 and died in the terrorist attacks.
2001: Head Coach at Louisville
In 2001, Rick Pitino became the head coach at the University of Louisville.
2002: University of Louisville establishes Billy Minardi Classic
Since 2002, the University of Louisville has designated a December home game as the Billy Minardi Classic, and the university named a dorm on campus as "Billy Minardi Hall" in honor of Rick Pitino's brother-in-law, Billy Minardi, who died in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
August 1, 2003: Pitino has sexual relations with Sypher
On August 1, 2003, Rick Pitino admitted that he had sexual relations with Karen Sypher at Porcini, a Louisville restaurant.
January 28, 2004: Pitino on medical leave for one win
On January 28, 2004, Rick Pitino did not coach in one win (vs. Houston) due to medical leave, but is credited with the victory.
November 2005: Reprising the Speech
In November 2005, Pitino reprised the speech in a tongue-in-cheek manner at Louisville, challenging his freshmen players to play as tough as past seniors and drawing laughter from sportswriters in a postgame press conference.
2005: Louisville reaches Final Four
In 2005, Rick Pitino led Louisville to their first Final Four in 19 years, becoming the first men's coach in NCAA history to lead three different schools to the Final Four.
2005: Louisville ties school record for single-season wins
In 2005, Rick Pitino's Louisville team tied for the most single-season wins in school history with 33. This was later surpassed by the 2013 NCAA title-winning Cardinals team.
2007: Second-Place Finish
In 2007, Rick Pitino led Louisville to a second-place finish, 12-4, tied with the University of Pittsburgh, in the Big East Conference standings and a first-round bye in the conference tournament.
2008: Second in the Big East
In 2008, Louisville finished second in the Big East and ranked 13th in both the AP and Coaches' polls.
April 18, 2009: Pitino Target of Extortion Attempt
On April 18, 2009, Rick Pitino announced that he was the target of an extortion attempt. Karen Cunagin Sypher was later charged with extortion and lying to federal agents.
2009: First Seed
In 2009, Louisville was the top seed overall in the NCAA tournament and was planted as the first seed in the Midwest region.
August 6, 2010: Sypher found guilty of extortion and lying to federal agents
On August 6, 2010, a federal district court found Karen Sypher guilty of extortion and lying to federal agents in relation to her extortion attempt against Rick Pitino.
December 20, 2010: Pitino hired as head coach of Puerto Rico national team
On December 20, 2010, Rick Pitino was hired as head coach of the senior Puerto Rico national team.
2010: Escort Sex Scandal
Between 2010 and 2014, the University of Louisville faced an NCAA investigation over an escort sex scandal involving recruits.
April 29, 2011: Pitino will not coach the Puerto Rico national team
On April 29, 2011, it was announced that Rick Pitino would not coach the Puerto Rico national team, due to scheduling conflicts and NCAA regulations disallowing it.
2011: Chaz Williams Career Assists
In 2011, Chaz Williams surpassed Rick Pitino's tenth spot for career assists at UMass.
2011: Louisville vacates victories and losses
In 2011, Louisville vacated all of its victories and three losses from the 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15 seasons. These 123 wins and three losses are not included in Rick Pitino's all-time record.
2011: Loss to Morehead State
In 2011, Louisville was upset by 13th-seeded Morehead State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
2012: Louisville vacates victories and losses
In 2012, Louisville vacated all of its victories and three losses from the 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15 seasons. These 123 wins and three losses are not included in Rick Pitino's all-time record.
2012: Big East Tournament Champions
In 2012, Rick Pitino coached the Cardinals to the Big East tournament championship and a berth as No. 4 seed in the West region of the NCAA tournament. The Cardinals lost to arch-rivals and eventual national champions Kentucky in the 2012 Final Four.
2012: Final Four Appearance Vacated
In 2012, the NCAA officially announced that Louisville's Final Four appearance had been vacated due to the escort sex scandal.
2013: Louisville vacates victories and losses
In 2013, Louisville vacated all of its victories and three losses from the 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15 seasons. These 123 wins and three losses are not included in Rick Pitino's all-time record.
2013: National Championship
In 2013, Rick Pitino led the Louisville Cardinals to their third national championship in an 82-76 win over Michigan, becoming the first NCAA Division I coach in history to win a championship with two different schools, although that championship was later vacated.
2013: Elected to Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
In 2013, Rick Pitino was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Atlanta during the Final Four.
2013: Louisville wins NCAA title
In 2013, Rick Pitino was one of two men's coaches in NCAA history to lead three separate schools (Providence, Kentucky, and Louisville) to the Final Four. However, Louisville's 2013 title under Pitino was later vacated.
2013: Louisville's National Championship Vacated
Louisville's 2013 national championship was later vacated, and the university is appealing this decision.
2014: Escort Sex Scandal
Between 2010 and 2014, the University of Louisville faced an NCAA investigation over an escort sex scandal involving recruits.
2014: Chaz Williams Career Assists
In 2014, Chaz Williams became the leader in career assists at UMass following his final season.
2014: Louisville vacates victories and losses
In 2014, Louisville vacated all of its victories and three losses from the 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15 seasons. These 123 wins and three losses are not included in Rick Pitino's all-time record.
2015: Louisville self-imposed ineligibility
In 2015, Louisville self-imposed ineligibility for the 2015–16 postseason due to an ongoing NCAA investigation.
2015: Pitino coaches Puerto Rican national team at FIBA Americas Championship
In 2015, Rick Pitino coached the Puerto Rican national team at the FIBA Americas Championship in Mexico City, Mexico, where they finished the tournament in 5th place.
2015: Postseason Ban
In 2015, The University of Louisville self-imposed a postseason ban for the 2015–16 season amid an ongoing NCAA investigation over an escort sex scandal involving recruits between 2010 and 2014.
January 2017: Sypher released to halfway house
In January 2017, Karen Sypher was released to a halfway house after being convicted of extortion and lying to federal agents in relation to her extortion attempt against Rick Pitino.
June 3, 2017: Brian Bowen Commits to Louisville
On June 3, 2017, Brian Bowen committed to play basketball at the University of Louisville.
June 15, 2017: NCAA Charges Pitino
On June 15, 2017, the NCAA charged Pitino for failure to monitor his basketball program, which was involved in a sex-for-pay scandal. He was suspended for the first five games of the ACC season in 2017–18.
June 2017: NCAA Suspends Pitino
In June 2017, the NCAA suspended Rick Pitino for five games of the 2017-18 season due to a perceived lack of oversight in an escort sex scandal at the University of Louisville.
September 26, 2017: Federal Investigation
On September 26, 2017, federal prosecutors announced that Louisville was under investigation for an alleged "pay for play" scheme involving recruits.
October 3, 2017: Pitino's firing changed to resignation
On October 3, 2017, as a result of a settlement on September 18, 2019, Rick Pitino's termination was changed to a resignation with both parties citing "zero liability."
October 16, 2017: Pitino's termination by ULAA
On October 16, 2017, Rick Pitino was fired from ULAA before it was changed to a resignation on October 3, 2017, after settling a lawsuit on September 18, 2019.
2017: End of Louisville Tenure
In 2017, Rick Pitino's time as the head coach of the University of Louisville came to an end.
February 20, 2018: 2013 National Championship Vacated
On February 20, 2018, the NCAA officially announced that the 2013 National Championship and their 2012 Final Four appearance had been vacated. It was the first time the NCAA vacated a men's basketball national title.
December 26, 2018: Pitino becomes head coach of Panathinaikos
On December 26, 2018, Rick Pitino was announced as the head coach of Panathinaikos until the end of the season, marking his debut in the EuroLeague.
2018: Coaching Panathinaikos
In 2018, Rick Pitino became the coach for Panathinaikos of the Greek Basket League and EuroLeague.
2018: Publication of Pitino: My Story
In 2018, Rick Pitino's most recent book, Pitino: My Story, was published. It includes a detailed biography and his version of events regarding the Adidas sneaker scandal and his subsequent ouster as the University of Louisville men's basketball coach.
February 17, 2019: Panathinaikos wins Greek Cup
On February 17, 2019, Rick Pitino's Panathinaikos team won the 2018–19 Greek Cup against PAOK in the final.
September 18, 2019: Pitino settles lawsuit with ULAA
On September 18, 2019, Rick Pitino settled his lawsuit against the ULAA for $38.7 million, nearly two years after his dismissal. As a result of the settlement, his termination was changed from a firing on October 16, 2017, to a resignation on October 3, 2017, with both parties citing "zero liability."
November 8, 2019: Pitino hired as head coach of Greece's senior national team
On November 8, 2019, Rick Pitino was hired as head coach of Greece's senior national team. He would coach at the 2020 FIBA Victoria Olympic qualifying tournament and the 2020 Summer Olympics, should Greece qualify.
November 26, 2019: Pitino rehired by Panathinaikos
On November 26, 2019, Rick Pitino was rehired by Panathinaikos as the team's head coach on a two-year deal after the firing of Argyris Pedoulakis.
March 14, 2020: Pitino named head coach of Iona College
On March 14, 2020, Rick Pitino was named head coach of Iona College after Tim Cluess stepped down due to health issues. Pitino was scheduled to finish his commitments to Panathinaikos.
March 2020: EuroLeague season suspended, Pitino leaves Panathinaikos
In March 2020, Rick Pitino remained with Panathinaikos until the 2019–20 EuroLeague season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving Panathinaikos at sixth place.
2020: Pitino to coach Greece's national team
In 2020, Rick Pitino was to coach Greece's national team at the FIBA Victoria Olympic qualifying tournament and the Summer Olympics, should Greece qualify.
2020: Iona's performance in the MAAC tournament
In 2020, Rick Pitino's Iona team was 6–3 in conference play but ran the table in the MAAC tournament with four upsets to reach the NCAA tournament, making Pitino the third coach ever to lead five different programs to the NCAA tournament.
2020: End of Panathinaikos Tenure and Iona University
In 2020, Rick Pitino's tenure with Panathinaikos concluded, and he became the coach at Iona University.
2021: Pitino's collegiate head coaching record
As of 2021, Rick Pitino has compiled a 684–282 record as a collegiate head coach, for a .708 winning percentage that is ranked 11th among active coaches and 34th all-time among all collegiate basketball coaches.
2021: Thanasis Skourtopoulos to serve as Greece's head coach
In 2021, Thanasis Skourtopoulos would serve as Greece's head coach for the EuroBasket qualification tournament, while Rick Pitino was previously announced as the head coach for the 2020 FIBA Victoria Olympic qualifying tournament and the 2020 Summer Olympics.
2022: Pitino's NCAA Tournament winning percentage ranked seventh
As of 2022, Rick Pitino's .730 winning percentage in 74 NCAA Tournament games ranked seventh among all coaches.
March 20, 2023: Named Head Coach at St. John's University
On March 20, 2023, Rick Pitino was appointed as the head basketball coach at St. John's University.
2023: End of Iona Tenure
In 2023, Rick Pitino's tenure as head coach at Iona University concluded.
2025: Big East Regular Season and Tournament Championship
In 2025, Pitino led St. John's to back-to-back Big East regular season and tournament championships.
2025: Richard Pitino becomes head coach of Xavier Musketeers
In 2025, Rick Pitino's son, Richard, became the head coach of the Xavier Musketeers.
2025: St. John's wins Big East titles
In 2025, St. John's under Rick Pitino won the Big East regular-season and tournament titles, beat rivals UConn home and away, and posted their first 30-win season since their 1985 run to the Final Four.
2026: Big East Regular Season and Tournament Championship
In 2026, Pitino led St. John's to back-to-back Big East regular season and tournament championships.
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