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United States Rick Pitino has built a distinguished career as a basketball coach, leading multiple NCAA programs and NBA teams to significant achievements, and is now at the helm of St. John's University men's basketball.
Rick Pitino became a franchisee of Dunkin' Donuts, partnering with others for restaurant ventures beyond basketball.
Pitino had a long-standing relationship with Adidas during his time at Louisville and has been involved in discussions and settlements regarding Adidas's influence in college sports. St. John's, under Pitino, also switched its athletic supplier to Adidas.
Rick Pitino partnered in a venture that operates 35 Outback Steakhouses across California.
St. John's Athletics, with Rick Pitino, partnered with cllct as the Official Collectibles Partner to celebrate the Red Storm's legacy, culture, and innovation.
Richard Andrew Pitino was born on September 18, 1952, in New York City and grew up in Bayville, New York. He was the team captain for St. Dominic High School basketball in Oyster Bay and later played as a point guard for the UMass Minutemen from 1971 to 1974, leading the team in assists during his junior and senior years. His coaching journey began as a graduate assistant at the University of Hawaii in 1974, where he also served as interim head coach in 1976. He then served as an assistant coach at Syracuse from 1976 to 1978 before taking on his first head coaching role at Boston University in 1978. During his five-year tenure at Boston University, he revitalized the program, leading them to their first NCAA tournament appearance in 24 years.
Pitino transitioned to the NBA as an assistant coach for the New York Knicks from 1983 to 1985. He returned to college basketball in 1985 as head coach for Providence College, guiding them to the Final Four in 1987. From 1987 to 1989, he served as the head coach for the New York Knicks, where he led the team to their first division title in nearly two decades. In 1989, Pitino began his impactful tenure at the University of Kentucky, where he rebuilt the program following a recruiting scandal. He led Kentucky to the Final Four in 1993 and secured an NCAA National Championship in 1996, followed by another national title game appearance in 1997. After a period as head coach and president of basketball operations for the Boston Celtics from 1997 to 2001, he returned to college coaching at the University of Louisville in 2001. At Louisville, he achieved another Final Four appearance in 2005 and an NCAA National Championship in 2013, making him the first NCAA Division I coach to win championships with two different schools. This championship was later vacated by the NCAA.
In 2018, Pitino took on a new challenge, coaching Panathinaikos in the Greek Basket League and EuroLeague, winning the Greek Cup in 2019 and two Greek League championships. He was also appointed head coach of the Greece senior national team in 2019. In 2020, he returned to college basketball as head coach for Iona University, where he led the Gaels to two MAAC regular season titles and two MAAC tournament championships by 2023. In March 2023, he was named the head men’s basketball coach at St. John’s University, marking his return to his hometown. Pitino was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013, recognizing his extensive contributions to the sport.
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