History of Rick Pitino in Timeline
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.
September 18, 1952: Richard Pitino Born
On September 18, 1952, Richard Andrew Pitino was born. He would later become a prominent American basketball coach.
1970: Enrolled at University of Massachusetts Amherst
In 1970, Pitino enrolled at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he played as a point guard for the Minutemen basketball team.
1974: Pitino Graduates from UMass
In 1974, Pitino earned his degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
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.
1976: Pitino marries Joanne Minardi
In 1976, Rick Pitino married Joanne Minardi.
1977: NCAA Report on Sanctions Against Hawaii
In 1977, Pitino's time at Hawaii was marred by an NCAA report on sanctions against the program. According to the report, Pitino was implicated in 8 of the 64 infractions that led the university to be placed on probation. Also in 1977, the NCAA infractions committee recommended that Pitino and O'Neil be disassociated from Hawaii athletics.
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.
1979: Mike Flanagan wins AL Cy Young Award
In 1979, Mike Flanagan, a former teammate of Pitino's, won the American League Cy Young Award as a baseball player.
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: Death of Daniel Pitino
In 1987, Rick and Joanne Pitino's son, Daniel, died from congenital heart failure at the age of six months, leading them to establish the Daniel Pitino Foundation.
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.
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, Pitino resigned from his position as head coach of the New York Knicks.
1989: Pitino Dismisses NCAA Report
In 1989, Pitino dismissed the 1977 NCAA report on sanctions against the University of Hawaii's basketball program, stating "I didn't make any mistakes. I don't care what anybody says."
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.
1998: 19-31 Record with the Celtics
In 1998-99 season, Pitino achieved a 19-31 record with the Boston Celtics.
March 1, 2000: Loss to Raptors Leads to Pitino's Frustration
On March 1, 2000, after a loss to the Toronto Raptors on a buzzer-beater by Vince Carter, Rick Pitino voiced his frustration and challenged Celtics fans and media to focus on the future.
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.
September 11, 2001: Death of Billy Minardi in the 9/11 attacks
On September 11, 2001, Joanne Pitino's brother and Rick Pitino's close friend, Billy Minardi, died in the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center.
2002: University of Louisville establishes the Billy Minardi Classic
Since 2002, the University of Louisville has designated a December home game as the Billy Minardi Classic and named a dorm on campus as "Billy Minardi Hall" in memory of Billy Minardi.
August 1, 2003: Pitino admits to sexual relations with Cunagin
On August 1, 2003, Rick Pitino admitted that he had sexual relations with Karen Cunagin at Porcini, a Louisville restaurant.
January 28, 2004: Pitino takes medical leave for a win
On January 28, 2004, Rick Pitino did not coach in one win against Houston due to medical leave, but is credited with the victory.
November 2005: Reprised Speech at Louisville
In November 2005, Rick Pitino reprised his frustrated speech in a tongue-in-cheek manner at Louisville, challenging his freshmen players to play as tough as past seniors.
2005: Louisville posts single-season wins in school history
In 2005, Rick Pitino's Louisville team achieved a tie for the most single-season wins in school history.
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.
2008: Cardinals Finished Second in Big East
In 2008, the Cardinals finished second in the Big East and ranked 13th in both the AP and Coaches' polls.
April 18, 2009: Pitino announces he was the target of an extortion attempt
On April 18, 2009, Rick Pitino announced that he was the target of an extortion attempt by Karen Cunagin Sypher.
2009: Cardinals Top Seed in NCAA Tournament
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: Cunagin found guilty of extortion
On August 6, 2010, a federal district court found Karen Cunagin guilty of extortion and lying to federal agents in relation to the 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 the head coach of the senior Puerto Rico national team.
2010: Escort Scandal Involving Recruits
From 2010 to 2014, an escort sex scandal involving recruits occurred at the University of Louisville.
2010: Loss to California Golden Bears
In 2010, the Louisville Cardinals suffered a 15-point loss to their first-round opponent, the California Golden Bears, in the NCAA tournament.
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.
2011: Chaz Williams Breaks Assists Record
In 2011, Chaz Williams began his tenure at UMass and would eventually break Pitino's record for career assists.
2011: Louisville Upset by Morehead State
In 2011, Louisville was upset by 13th-seeded Morehead State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
2012: Final Four appearance vacated
In 2012, Louisville's Final Four appearance was later vacated due to rules violations. This event marked a significant challenge in Pitino's career.
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's National Championship Vacated
In 2013, Louisville's national championship was eventually vacated and is being appealed by the university.
2013: National Championship Vacated
In 2013, Louisville's national championship was later vacated due to rules violations. This event marked a significant challenge in Pitino's career.
2013: Louisville wins NCAA title
In 2013, Rick Pitino led the Cardinals to 35 total wins and an NCAA title, though later vacated.
2013: Elected to Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
In 2013, while in Atlanta for the Final Four, Rick Pitino was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
2014: Escort Scandal Involving Recruits
From 2010 to 2014, an escort sex scandal involving recruits occurred at the University of Louisville.
2014: Chaz Williams becomes career assist leader
In 2014, Chaz Williams became the all-time career assist leader at UMass, surpassing Pitino's previous record.
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.
2015: Louisville Self-Imposes 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: Cunagin released to halfway house
In January 2017, Karen Cunagin was released to a halfway house after serving part of her sentence for extortion and lying to federal agents, related to her case 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 for Failure to Monitor Program
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 for a perceived lack of oversight in an escort sex scandal at the University of Louisville involving recruits.
September 26, 2017: Federal Investigation Announced
On September 26, 2017, federal prosecutors announced an investigation into Louisville for an alleged "pay for play" scheme involving recruits and Adidas.
October 3, 2017: Termination Changed to Resignation
On October 3, 2017, Pitino's termination was changed to a resignation from a firing on October 16, 2017, citing "zero liability" between both parties.
October 16, 2017: Termination Changed to Resignation
On October 16, 2017, Pitino's termination was changed to a resignation on October 3, 2017, citing "zero liability" between both parties.
February 20, 2018: NCAA Vacates 2013 National Championship
On February 20, 2018, the NCAA officially announced that Louisville's 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, marking his debut in the EuroLeague.
2018: Publication of "Pitino: My Story"
In 2018, Rick Pitino's book, "Pitino: My Story", was published, providing his account of the Adidas sneaker scandal and his departure from the University of Louisville.
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.
September 18, 2019: Pitino Settles Lawsuit with ULAA
On September 18, 2019, nearly two years after his dismissal and his lawsuit for $38.7 million against the ULAA, Pitino settled with the university and dropped the case.
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.
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.
March 2020: Pitino leaves Panathinaikos
In March 2020, Rick Pitino left Panathinaikos after the 2019–20 EuroLeague season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2020: Iona College reaches NCAA tournament
In 2020, Rick Pitino coached Iona College to a MAAC tournament victory, leading them to the NCAA tournament.
2021: Pitino's collegiate coaching record
As of 2021, Rick Pitino had compiled a 684–282 record as a collegiate head coach, for a .708 winning percentage.
2021: Thanasis Skourtopoulos as head coach of Greece's senior national team
In 2021, Thanasis Skourtopoulos served as Greece's head coach for the 2021 EuroBasket qualification tournament.
2022: Pitino's winning percentage ranked seventh among all coaches
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 named the head basketball coach at St. John's University.
2025: Richard Pitino becomes head coach of the Xavier Musketeers
In 2025, Richard Pitino, one of Rick Pitino's sons, became the head coach of the Xavier Musketeers.
Mentioned in this timeline
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