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. His extensive coaching career includes positions at Boston University, Providence College, the New York Knicks, the University of Kentucky, the Boston Celtics, the University of Louisville, Panathinaikos, and Iona University, as well as coaching Greece's national team. Pitino has achieved success at both the collegiate and professional levels, though his career has also faced controversy.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

1974: Graduate Assistant at University of Hawaii

In 1974, Pitino started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Hawaii.

1975: Full-time Assistant at University of Hawaii

In 1975, Pitino became a full-time assistant coach at the University of Hawaii.

1976: First Assistant Hired by Jim Boeheim

In 1976, Pitino was the first assistant hired by Jim Boeheim at Syracuse University.

1978: Hired as Head Coach at Boston University

In 1978, Pitino was hired as the head coach of Boston University's men's basketball team, receiving funding and scholarships for the program, as well as a Renault Le Car and a $17,500 salary.

1985: Hired as Head Coach at Providence College

In 1985, Pitino was hired as the head coach at Providence College.

July 14, 1987: Became Head Coach of the New York Knicks

On July 14, 1987, Pitino became the head coach of the New York Knicks.

1987: Adoption of the 3-point shot by the NCAA

In 1987, the NCAA adopted the 3-point shot, which Rick Pitino is considered to have been one of the first coaches to fully exploit, with his teams in Kentucky in the early 1990s known as Pitino's Bombinos.

May 30, 1989: Resigned from the New York Knicks

On May 30, 1989, Pitino resigned from his position as head coach of the New York Knicks.

1989: Became Coach at Kentucky

In 1989, Pitino returned to college coaching and became the coach at Kentucky.

1993: Led Kentucky to the Final Four

In 1993, Pitino led Kentucky to the Final Four of the NCAA tournament.

1996: Kentucky Wins NCAA Championship

In 1996, Pitino coached the Kentucky Wildcats to an NCAA championship victory.

1996: Kentucky Won National Title

In 1996, Pitino led Kentucky to win the NCAA national title, the school's 6th 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: Kentucky Loses National Title Game

In 1997, Pitino's Kentucky team lost to Arizona in overtime in the finals of the NCAA tournament.

1998: Left Kentucky for the NBA

In 1998, Pitino left Kentucky for the NBA, and Kentucky went on to win the national title that year.

January 8, 2001: Resigned from Boston Celtics

On January 8, 2001, Rick Pitino resigned as the head coach of the Boston Celtics.

March 21, 2001: Coached at University of Louisville

On March 21, 2001, Pitino returned to college coaching at the University of Louisville.

2005: Led Louisville to Final Four

In the 2005 season, 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.

2007: Second Place Finish in Big East Conference

In 2007, Pitino led Louisville to a second-place finish in the Big East Conference and implemented a 2-2-1 and 2-3 zone defense.

December 20, 2010: Pitino hired as head coach of Puerto Rico national team

On December 20, 2010, Rick Pitino was hired as the 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 Rick Pitino would not coach the Puerto Rico national team, due to scheduling conflicts and NCAA regulations disallowing it.

2012: Louisville Reaches Final Four

In 2012, 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, eventually losing to Kentucky in the Final Four.

2013: Louisville wins NCAA title

In 2013, Rick Pitino led the Cardinals to 35 total wins and an NCAA title, though later vacated.

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 in 5th place.

December 26, 2018: Pitino becomes head coach of Panathinaikos

On December 26, 2018, Rick Pitino was announced as the head coach of Panathinaikos, marking his debut in the EuroLeague.

February 17, 2019: Panathinaikos wins the Greek Cup

On February 17, 2019, Panathinaikos, coached by Rick 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, Rick 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.