|
 When
the University of Louisville went looking for its
first new men's basketball coach in 30 years just
four years ago, it didn't just get the best person
available. The Cardinals got arguably the best
person, period.
Rick Pitino, one of the most brilliant minds in
coaching, began a new era in University of
Louisville men's basketball when he was named head
coach of the Cardinals on March 21, 2001. And as he
successfully accomplished at his previous three
collegiate coaching stops, it is clear that there
couldn't have been a finer choice to lead Louisville
back among the nation's elite teams.
Pitino's up-tempo style, pressure defense, strong
work ethic and family atmosphere have quickly
returned the Cardinals to national prominence, with
top 25 rankings over the last three years and a
visit to the Final Four for the first time in 19
years as evidence.
The Cardinals were No. 3 in the nation in the final
2004-05 ESPN/USA Today poll while posting a stellar
33-5 record, matching the most victories in U of L
history. U of L won its first-ever Conference USA
regular season title and also claimed the league
tournament championship. Louisville reached its
first NCAA Sweet 16 since 1997 as the No. 4 seed in
the Albuquerque Regional before advancing to its
first NCAA Final Four since 1986. Pitino, who made
his fifth Final Four appearance, became the first
coach ever to guide teams from three different
schools to the Final Four.
Last season's successes were built upon the efforts
of his early teams at U of L. Two years ago, the
Cardinals won 16 straight during one stretch and
rose to as high as fourth in the national polls
before a trio of key injuries disrupted the
Cardinals' flight. U of L won 20 games in
back-to-back seasons for the first time in six years
while facing one of the nation's toughest schedules.
Pitino gained his 400th career coaching victory with
a 73-65 victory over then top-ranked Florida on Dec.
13, 2003, the first of two wins that season U of L
achieved over No. 1 ranked foes.
In his second year at U of L in 2002-03, the
Cardinals reached the No. 2 position in the
Associated Press poll and spent time as the nation's
top team in the Ratings Percentage Index and Sagarin
Ratings. After a 1-1 start, the Cardinals reeled off
an incredible 17 straight victories, one short of
the school record and the second-highest ever in
Conference USA history. U of L won its first-ever
Conference USA Tournament title.
Pitino did not wait for the Cardinals to make an
upward move. In his first year at Louisville in
2001-02, he guided an undersized, often outmanned
squad to a 19-13 record, upsetting the nation's
fourth-ranked team along the way to earning a
post-season tournament appearance in the NIT, nearly
reversing the Cardinals fortunes the season prior to
his arrival (12-19 in 2000-01).
Pitino has embraced the storied tradition of
Louisville Basketball and made a commitment to
producing a vibrant program that will soon challenge
for a national title.
In 18 seasons as a collegiate head coach at four
different schools, Pitino has compiled a 449-159
record, a .738 winning percentage that ranked him
eighth among active coaches and 27th all-time
entering the 2005-06 season. His current contract
ties him with U of L through the 2009-2010 season.
Among active coaches, Pitino has the third-highest
winning percentage in NCAA Tournament games, winning
75.6 percent of his games in the post-season event
with a 31-10 record in 11 tournament appearances. He
is one of a select group of four coaches who have
taken teams from four different schools to the NCAA
Tournament. He is one of 10 coaches all-time who
have reached the Final Four on at least five
occasions.
Pitino's impact goes beyond the teaching, motivation
and X's and O's of his on-the-court skills. His
incredible charisma, tireless work ethic,
captivating speaking skills and widespread appeal
not only mesmerize the Cardinal faithful, but have
the collegiate basketball world abuzz as well. His
arrival in Louisville has generated incredible
attention beyond the borders of the state he and his
family have come to love.
Pitino is known for getting his players to believe
in themselves, instilling the desire to succeed and
driving his players to overachieve. His former
players speak of their coach's caring nature beyond
their basketball skills.
For three and a half years, Pitino served as
president and head coach of the NBA's Boston
Celtics. With the Celtics, he took over a team that
had posted a franchise worst 15-67 record before his
arrival. He quickly made an impact, improving the
Celtics' victory total by 21 games in his first
season. He resigned his position with the storied
franchise on Jan. 8, 2001 after compiling a 102-146
record there.
He guided Kentucky to three NCAA Final Four
appearances in his last five years at Kentucky,
winning the 1996 NCAA Championship and reaching the
national title game in 1997. In eight seasons with
the Wildcats, he amassed a 219-50 record (.814)
while winning two league crowns and an impressive
17-1 record in the Southeastern Conference
Tournament.
While at Kentucky, Pitino coached three Wildcats who
earned All-America honors and eight players who were
drafted by the NBA, including six in the first round
(three lottery picks).
Pitino, 53, got his start in coaching as a graduate
assistant at Hawai'i in 1974 and served as a
full-time assistant there in 1975-76. He served two
seasons as an assistant at Syracuse under Jim
Boeheim from 1976-78.
Pitino was only 25 years old when he accepted his
first head coaching job at Boston University in
1978. He produced a 91-51 record in five years
there, departing as the most successful coach in BU
history. In his final season there, he guided the
Terriers to their first NCAA Tournament appearance
in 24 years. He was twice named New England Coach of
the Year (1979, 1983).
Pitino left Boston U. to become an assistant coach
for the New York Knicks from 1983-85, where he
worked with head coach Hubie Brown. It was a team he
would return to lead as its head coach in two
seasons.
He was head coach at Providence College for two
seasons (1985-87), producing a 42-23 record there.
He guided the Friars to an NCAA Tournament
appearance in 1986 and a trip to the NCAA Final Four
in 1987, winning the regional championship in
Freedom Hall.
Before his stint at Kentucky, Pitino served as head
coach of the New York Knicks for two seasons. In his
initial year there in 1987-88, the Knicks improved
by 14 victories and made the NBA Playoffs for the
first time in four seasons. The Knicks won 52 games
in 1988-89 and swept the Philadelphia 76ers in the
first round of the NBA Playoffs.
Aside from his hoops prowess, Pitino has achieved
success off the court as well in such realms as
broadcasting, publishing, motivational speaking and
horse racing. He is an accomplished author,
producing such books as the best seller "Success Is
A Choice" and "Lead to Succeed."
He earned his degree in 1974 at Massachusetts, where
he was a standout guard for the Minutemen's
basketball team. His 329 career assists rank eighth
all-time at UMass and his 168 assists as a senior is
the sixth-best single season total ever there.
Pitino was a freshman during NBA legend Julius
Erving's senior year.
Born Sept. 18, 1952, Pitino is a native of New York
City where he was a standout guard for Dominic High
School in Oyster Bay, Long Island. There, he
captained his team and established several school
scoring marks.
Pitino and wife Joanne have five children: Michael,
Christopher, Richard, Ryan and Jacqueline. |
