Rick Pitino is a prominent American basketball coach currently leading St. John's University's men's basketball team. He also coached Greece's national team. Over his extensive career, Pitino has coached multiple NCAA Division I teams, including Boston University, Providence College, Kentucky, and Louisville, achieving considerable success. He also spent time coaching in the NBA with the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics. Furthermore, Pitino coached professionally in Greece for Panathinaikos and most recently at Iona University before returning to a high-profile position at St. John's.
In 1976, Rick Pitino married Joanne Minardi.
In 1987, Rick and Joanne Pitino's son, Daniel, died from congenital heart failure at the age of six months.
In 1987, the NCAA adopted the 3-point shot, and Rick Pitino is considered one of the first coaches to fully utilize it.
In 1988, Rick Pitino published his autobiography entitled "Born to Coach", describing his life up until his time with the Knicks.
In 1990, Kentucky was ineligible for both the NCAA and SEC Tournaments due to sanctions from the Eddie Sutton-era.
In 1991, Kentucky was ineligible for both the NCAA and SEC Tournaments due to sanctions from the Eddie Sutton-era.
On September 11, 2001, Joanne Pitino's brother and Rick's closest friend, Billy Minardi, died in the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center.
Since 2002, the University of Louisville has designated a December home game as the Billy Minardi Classic.
On August 1, 2003, Pitino admitted that he had sexual relations with Karen Cunagin at Porcini restaurant in Louisville.
On January 28, 2004, Rick Pitino did not coach in one win (vs. Houston) due to medical leave, but is credited with the victory.
In 2005, Rick Pitino's Louisville team tied for the most single-season wins in school history with 33.
On April 18, 2009, Rick Pitino announced that he was the target of an extortion attempt by Karen Cunagin Sypher.
On August 6, 2010, Karen Cunagin was found guilty of extortion and lying to federal agents in her case against Rick Pitino.
On December 20, 2010, Rick Pitino was hired as head coach of the senior Puerto Rico national team.
On April 29, 2011, Rick Pitino stepped down as coach of the Puerto Rico national team due to scheduling conflicts and NCAA regulations.
In 2011, Louisville vacated all of its victories and three losses from the 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15 seasons.
In 2012, Louisville vacated all of its victories and three losses from the 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15 seasons.
In 2013, Goldencents, in which Pitino's RAP Racing owns a share, won the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby.
In 2013, Louisville vacated all of its victories and three losses from the 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15 seasons.
In 2013, Rick Pitino coached the Louisville Cardinals to win the NCAA title, later vacated.
In 2014, Louisville vacated all of its victories and three losses from the 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15 seasons.
In 2015, Louisville self-imposed ineligibility for the 2015–16 postseason due to an ongoing NCAA investigation.
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.
In January 2017, Karen Cunagin, who was convicted of extorting Rick Pitino, was released to a halfway house.
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.
In 2018, Rick Pitino's book, "Pitino: My Story" was published.
On February 17, 2019, Pitino's Panathinaikos team won the 2018–19 Greek Cup against PAOK in the final.
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.
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.
On March 14, 2020, Rick Pitino was named head coach of Iona College after Tim Cluess stepped down due to health issues.
In March 2020, Rick Pitino left Panathinaikos when the 2019–20 EuroLeague season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with Panathinaikos in sixth place.
In 2020, Rick Pitino led Iona College to the NCAA tournament after winning the MAAC tournament, making him the third coach to lead five different programs to the NCAA tournament.
In 2020, Rick Pitino was scheduled to coach Greece at the 2020 Summer Olympics, should Greece qualify.
As of 2021, Rick Pitino had compiled a 684–282 record as a collegiate head coach.
In 2021, Thanasis Skourtopoulos was to serve as Greece's head coach for the 2021 EuroBasket qualification tournament.
As of 2022, Rick Pitino's .730 winning percentage in 74 NCAA Tournament games ranked seventh among all coaches.