Career Timeline of Rick Pitino: Major Achievements and Milestones
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Rick Pitino made an impact.
Rick Pitino is a prominent American basketball coach currently at St. John's University. He's also coached the Greek national team. His extensive career includes head coaching positions in both NCAA Division I and the NBA. Notable tenures include Boston University, Providence College, the New York Knicks, the University of Kentucky, the Boston Celtics, and the University of Louisville. He also coached Panathinaikos and Iona University. His career has been marked by both success and controversy.
1974: Graduate Assistant at University of Hawaii
In 1974, Rick Pitino started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Hawaii.
1975: Full-Time Assistant at University of Hawaii
In 1975, Rick Pitino became a full-time assistant coach at the University of Hawaii.
1976: Assistant Coach at Syracuse University
In 1976, Rick Pitino was the first assistant hired by Jim Boeheim as Boeheim began his tenure at Syracuse University.
1978: Head Coach at Boston University
In 1978, Pitino was hired as the head coach of Boston University's men's basketball team. He received $20,000 for recruiting and fifteen full scholarships. His compensation included a Renault Le Car and an annual salary of $17,500.
1983: End of Tenure at Boston University
In 1983, Rick Pitino concluded his tenure as the head coach at Boston University.
1985: Head Coach at Providence College
In 1985, Pitino became the head coach at Providence College after a dismal 11-20 season for the team the previous year.
July 14, 1987: Became Head Coach of the New York Knicks
On July 14, 1987, Rick Pitino became the head coach of the New York Knicks.
1987: Adoption of the 3-Point Shot
In 1987, Pitino is considered one of the first coaches to fully take advantage of the 3-point shot in college basketball after its adoption by the NCAA.
1987: Head Coach of the New York Knicks
In 1987, Rick Pitino became the head coach of the New York Knicks.
1987: Death of son Daniel
In 1987, Rick and Joanne Pitino's son, Daniel, died from congenital heart failure at the age of six months. They later established the Daniel Pitino Foundation in his memory.
1988: Publication of "Born to Coach"
In 1988, Pitino published his autobiography, "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: End of Tenure with the New York Knicks
In 1989, Rick Pitino concluded his tenure as head coach of the New York Knicks.
1989: Kentucky Head Coach
In 1989, after two years in the NBA, Rick Pitino returned to college basketball as the coach at Kentucky, tasked with restoring the program after a major recruiting scandal.
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: Led Kentucky to the Final Four
In 1993, Rick Pitino led Kentucky to the NCAA Final Four.
1996: Kentucky Wins NCAA Championship
In 1996, Rick Pitino led Kentucky to win the 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 National Title Game
In 1997, Rick Pitino's Kentucky team lost to Arizona in overtime in the finals of the NCAA tournament.
1998: Left Kentucky for the NBA
In 1998, Rick Pitino left Kentucky for the NBA. Kentucky went on to win the national title that year.
January 8, 2001: Resigned as Head Coach of the Boston Celtics
On January 8, 2001, Rick Pitino resigned from his position as head coach of the Boston Celtics.
March 21, 2001: Hired as Louisville Head Coach
On March 21, 2001, Rick Pitino returned to college basketball and his adopted home state to coach the University of Louisville.
2001: End of Tenure with the Boston Celtics
In 2001, Rick Pitino concluded his tenure as head coach of the Boston Celtics.
January 28, 2004: Pitino on Medical Leave During Win Against Houston
On January 28, 2004, Pitino did not coach in one win (vs. Houston) due to medical leave, but is credited with the victory.
2005: Louisville Posts Most Single-Season Wins
In 2005, Pitino's Louisville team tied for the most single-season wins in school history with 33.
2005: Led Louisville to 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. Following the Final Four run, the team limped into the Big East tournament seeded 12th, and missed the NCAA tournament.
2008: Finished Second in the Big East
In 2008, Rick Pitino's Louisville Cardinals finished second in the Big East.
2009: Top Seed in NCAA Tournament
In 2009, Louisville was the top seed overall in the NCAA tournament under Rick Pitino's guidance.
December 20, 2010: Pitino Hired as Puerto Rico National Team Head Coach
On December 20, 2010, Pitino was hired as head coach of the senior Puerto Rico national team.
April 29, 2011: Pitino Will Not Coach Puerto Rico National Team
On April 29, 2011, it was announced that Pitino would not coach the Puerto Rico national team due to scheduling conflicts and NCAA regulations.
2011: Louisville Victories Vacated
In 2011, Louisville has vacated all of its victories and three losses from the 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15 seasons.
2012: Louisville Victories Vacated
In 2012, Louisville has vacated all of its victories and three losses from the 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15 seasons.
2012: Big East Tournament Championship and Final Four Berth
In 2012, Rick Pitino coached the Louisville Cardinals to the Big East tournament championship and a berth as No. 4 seed in the West region of the NCAA tournament. They lost to Kentucky in the Final Four.
2013: Louisville Victories Vacated
In 2013, Louisville has vacated all of its victories and three losses from the 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15 seasons.
2013: Louisville Wins NCAA Title
In 2013, Pitino's Louisville Cardinals team won the NCAA title, achieving 35 total wins.
2013: Louisville Wins National Championship
In 2013, Rick Pitino led the Louisville Cardinals to their third national championship with an 82-76 win over Michigan, becoming the first NCAA Division I coach to win a championship with two different schools.
2013: National Championship with Louisville
In 2013, Rick Pitino led the University of Louisville to a national championship, becoming the first coach to win a national championship at two different schools.
2014: Louisville Victories Vacated
In 2014, Louisville has vacated all of its victories and three losses from the 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15 seasons.
2015: Louisville Self-Imposed Ineligibility
In 2015, Louisville self-imposed ineligibility for the 2015–16 postseason due to an ongoing NCAA investigation.
2015: Pitino Coached Puerto Rican National Team at FIBA Americas Championship
In 2015, Pitino coached the Puerto Rican national team at the FIBA Americas Championship in Mexico City, Mexico, where they finished in 5th place.
2017: End of Tenure at Louisville
In 2017, Rick Pitino concluded his tenure as head coach of the University of Louisville.
December 26, 2018: Pitino announced as head coach of Panathinaikos
On December 26, 2018, Pitino was announced as the head coach of Panathinaikos, marking his debut in the EuroLeague.
2018: Publication of "Pitino: My Story"
In 2018, Pitino's most recent book, "Pitino: My Story", was published. It details his version of events regarding the Adidas sneaker scandal and his subsequent ouster as the University of Louisville men's basketball coach.
2018: Coach of Panathinaikos
In 2018, Rick Pitino became the coach of Panathinaikos of the Greek Basket League and EuroLeague.
February 17, 2019: Panathinaikos Wins Greek Cup
On February 17, 2019, Panathinaikos, coached by Pitino, won the 2018–19 Greek Cup against PAOK in the final.
November 8, 2019: Pitino Hired as Head Coach of Greece's Senior National Team
On November 8, 2019, Pitino was hired as head coach of Greece's senior national team for the 2020 FIBA Victoria Olympic qualifying tournament and the 2020 Summer Olympics.
November 26, 2019: Pitino Rehired by Panathinaikos
On November 26, 2019, 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, Pitino was named head coach of Iona College after Tim Cluess stepped down due to health issues.
March 2020: EuroLeague Season Suspended, Pitino Leaves Panathinaikos
In March 2020, the 2019–20 EuroLeague season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to Pitino leaving Panathinaikos, with the team in sixth place.
2020: Scheduled to coach Greece's national team
In 2020, Pitino was scheduled to coach Greece's national team at the FIBA Victoria Olympic qualifying tournament and the Summer Olympics.
2020: Iona College Season
In 2020, Pitino's Iona College team was 6–3 in conference play and reached the NCAA tournament.
2020: Departure from Panathinaikos
In 2020, Rick Pitino's tenure with Panathinaikos concluded.
2021: Pitino's Collegiate Coaching Record
As of 2021, Pitino has a collegiate head coaching record of 684–282, a .708 winning percentage.
2021: Skourtopoulos to coach Greece's national team
In 2021, Thanasis Skourtopoulos served as Greece's head coach for the EuroBasket qualification tournament.
2022: Pitino's Winning Percentage in NCAA Tournament Games
As of 2022, Pitino's .730 winning percentage in 74 NCAA Tournament games ranked seventh among all coaches.
March 20, 2023: Named Head Basketball Coach at St. John's University
On March 20, 2023, Rick Pitino was named the head basketball coach at St. John's University.
2023: End of Tenure at Iona University
In 2023, Rick Pitino concluded his tenure as head coach of Iona University.
Mentioned in this timeline
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