Rick Pitino

[Eric15]

I always considered him to be perhaps towards the bottom of the Top 10 in terms of all-time coaching rankings, but the more I think about it, there is a not-insane argument to be made that he is the coaching GOAT.

1. Boston University. Until he arrived, they had not made an NCAA Tournament in their history. In the three years before he arrived, they won 7, 7 and 10 games. In Year 1 Pitino wins 17, Year 2 he wins 21, and in his final season in Year 5 they go to their first ever NCAA Tournament.

2. Providence. The year before he arrives they go 11-20. He has them in the Final Four in Year 2. He leaves, they're 11-17 the following season.

3. Kentucky. They have their worst season ever the year before he arrives going 13-19. He has them National Title good almost immediately. Builds the greatest team ever in 1996, almost repeats in 1997, and then Tubby Smith inherits his players and wins again in 1998, before slowly fading out.

[obviously the Celtics was a nightmare]

4. Louisville. Denny Crum goes 12-19 in his final season. Pitino has them as a 4 seed in Year 2, and then obviously consistent success with multiple final fours up through the national title with an asterisk next to it.

5. Iona. They go 12-17 before Pitino arrives. He then leads them to 25 and 27 win seasons.

6. St Johns. Their best team in 40 years. Legitimate national title contender. MSG is electric.

I don't particularly like Pitino as a human being, he lets off sleazy vibes, but literally no one else has done anything close to this in any other major American sport. I consider his body of work of six legitimately great rebuild jobs to be more impressive than pretty much anything any other coach has accomplished. Most coaches can lead a program once it's on autopilot, but to start from scratch that many times is really something.

 

[dasher]

I always considered him to be perhaps towards the bottom of the Top 10 in terms of all-time coaching rankings, but the more I think about it, there is a not-insane argument to be made that he is the coaching GOAT.

1. Boston University. Until he arrived, they had not made an NCAA Tournament in their history. In the three years before he arrived, they won 7, 7 and 10 games. In Year 1 Pitino wins 17, Year 2 he wins 21, and in his final season in Year 5 they go to their first ever NCAA Tournament.

2. Providence. The year before he arrives they go 11-20. He has them in the Final Four in Year 2. He leaves, they're 11-17 the following season.

3. Kentucky. They have their worst season ever the year before he arrives going 13-19. He has them National Title good almost immediately. Builds the greatest team ever in 1996, almost repeats in 1997, and then Tubby Smith inherits his players and wins again in 1998, before slowly fading out.

[obviously the Celtics was a nightmare]

4. Louisville. Denny Crum goes 12-19 in his final season. Pitino has them as a 4 seed in Year 2, and then obviously consistent success with multiple final fours up through the national title with an asterisk next to it.

5. Iona. They go 12-17 before Pitino arrives. He then leads them to 25 and 27 win seasons.

6. St Johns. Their best team in 40 years. Legitimate national title contender. MSG is electric.

I don't particularly like Pitino as a human being, he lets off sleazy vibes, but literally no one else has done anything close to this in any other major American sport. I consider his body of work of six legitimately great rebuild jobs to be more impressive than pretty much anything any other coach has accomplished. Most coaches can lead a program once it's on autopilot, but to start from scratch that many times is really something.

If he stayed at Kentucky, he would be the goat by almost everyone.

 

[721Comstock]

... and yet for whatever reason, Rick the Quick is never credited to the Boeheim "coaching tree".

I mean, JAB literally gave him his first big break when he hired him as an assistant for his staff.

Now, sadly, the majority of JAB's coaching spawn fared much worse, anywhere from mediocre to poor.
(Hop did have those PAC coach of the year seasons early, w/ Romar's players)

 

[Col. Bleep]

I always considered him to be perhaps towards the bottom of the Top 10 in terms of all-time coaching rankings, but the more I think about it, there is a not-insane argument to be made that he is the coaching GOAT.

1. Boston University. Until he arrived, they had not made an NCAA Tournament in their history. In the three years before he arrived, they won 7, 7 and 10 games. In Year 1 Pitino wins 17, Year 2 he wins 21, and in his final season in Year 5 they go to their first ever NCAA Tournament.

2. Providence. The year before he arrives they go 11-20. He has them in the Final Four in Year 2. He leaves, they're 11-17 the following season.

3. Kentucky. They have their worst season ever the year before he arrives going 13-19. He has them National Title good almost immediately. Builds the greatest team ever in 1996, almost repeats in 1997, and then Tubby Smith inherits his players and wins again in 1998, before slowly fading out.

[obviously the Celtics was a nightmare]

4. Louisville. Denny Crum goes 12-19 in his final season. Pitino has them as a 4 seed in Year 2, and then obviously consistent success with multiple final fours up through the national title with an asterisk next to it.

5. Iona. They go 12-17 before Pitino arrives. He then leads them to 25 and 27 win seasons.

6. St Johns. Their best team in 40 years. Legitimate national title contender. MSG is electric.

I don't particularly like Pitino as a human being, he lets off sleazy vibes, but literally no one else has done anything close to this in any other major American sport. I consider his body of work of six legitimately great rebuild jobs to be more impressive than pretty much anything any other coach has accomplished. Most coaches can lead a program once it's on autopilot, but to start from scratch that many times is really something.

And as he just reminded the television audience, this year he's lost 4 games by a total of 7 points.
All he does is win.
No matter where he goes he gets the players he needs and the performances he needs from them.

 

[CuseMan4]

Yeah he’s a great coach. I think he’s a top 5 coach. Other than the Celtics he has been a winner almost immediately no matter the level or school. He gets the best out of his players. He’s one of the best X’s and O’s coaches of all time and great at making adjustments.

 

[W'boro'Cuse315]

 

[walsh2012]

there was always a thought in my mind that he would be great here when he was at Iona. I havent been able to watch ball all season bc Cuse being so bad just makes me so sad it isn't worth it.

I saw this on Instagram today and now am under the impression I'm better at seeing coaching talent at football and basketball that JW. I actually rescind the football part of that bc Fran was an amazing hire, but Fran also called the school himself. It's not like JW scouted him.

I still believe AA can turn the program around, but Rick would have taken the Cuse job in a second and it's just so disappointing

 

[Tip Hill]

How good of a coach is Rick Pitino?

there is no starter on the is season’s St John’s team that was a regular starter on last season’s St Kohn’s team.

Pitino has done a masterful job of developing talent (Zuby, Luis, and Wilcher) and integrating portal talent (Richmond, Smith and Scott).

 

[Cusefan95]

There’s a bunch of coaches around 900 wins (Roy Williams/Bob Knight/Dean Smith/Rupp) that feel like his peer group. There’s a pretty decent group that can be argued easily as #2 - he’s in that list. And I’d agree there’s a case for #1 for most of them as well, just much harder to make than for runner up.

 

[OrangePA]

I always considered him to be perhaps towards the bottom of the Top 10 in terms of all-time coaching rankings, but the more I think about it, there is a not-insane argument to be made that he is the coaching GOAT.

1. Boston University. Until he arrived, they had not made an NCAA Tournament in their history. In the three years before he arrived, they won 7, 7 and 10 games. In Year 1 Pitino wins 17, Year 2 he wins 21, and in his final season in Year 5 they go to their first ever NCAA Tournament.

2. Providence. The year before he arrives they go 11-20. He has them in the Final Four in Year 2. He leaves, they're 11-17 the following season.

3. Kentucky. They have their worst season ever the year before he arrives going 13-19. He has them National Title good almost immediately. Builds the greatest team ever in 1996, almost repeats in 1997, and then Tubby Smith inherits his players and wins again in 1998, before slowly fading out.

[obviously the Celtics was a nightmare]

4. Louisville. Denny Crum goes 12-19 in his final season. Pitino has them as a 4 seed in Year 2, and then obviously consistent success with multiple final fours up through the national title with an asterisk next to it.

5. Iona. They go 12-17 before Pitino arrives. He then leads them to 25 and 27 win seasons.

6. St Johns. Their best team in 40 years. Legitimate national title contender. MSG is electric.

I don't particularly like Pitino as a human being, he lets off sleazy vibes, but literally no one else has done anything close to this in any other major American sport. I consider his body of work of six legitimately great rebuild jobs to be more impressive than pretty much anything any other coach has accomplished. Most coaches can lead a program once it's on autopilot, but to start from scratch that many times is really something.

A truly great coach who has immediate impact wherever he goes.

 

[hoopsupstate]

What’s amazing is that he won twenty games at every school in his second year.

 

[PoppyHart]

I always considered him to be perhaps towards the bottom of the Top 10 in terms of all-time coaching rankings, but the more I think about it, there is a not-insane argument to be made that he is the coaching GOAT.

1. Boston University. Until he arrived, they had not made an NCAA Tournament in their history. In the three years before he arrived, they won 7, 7 and 10 games. In Year 1 Pitino wins 17, Year 2 he wins 21, and in his final season in Year 5 they go to their first ever NCAA Tournament.

2. Providence. The year before he arrives they go 11-20. He has them in the Final Four in Year 2. He leaves, they're 11-17 the following season.

3. Kentucky. They have their worst season ever the year before he arrives going 13-19. He has them National Title good almost immediately. Builds the greatest team ever in 1996, almost repeats in 1997, and then Tubby Smith inherits his players and wins again in 1998, before slowly fading out.

[obviously the Celtics was a nightmare]

4. Louisville. Denny Crum goes 12-19 in his final season. Pitino has them as a 4 seed in Year 2, and then obviously consistent success with multiple final fours up through the national title with an asterisk next to it.

5. Iona. They go 12-17 before Pitino arrives. He then leads them to 25 and 27 win seasons.

6. St Johns. Their best team in 40 years. Legitimate national title contender. MSG is electric.

I don't particularly like Pitino as a human being, he lets off sleazy vibes, but literally no one else has done anything close to this in any other major American sport. I consider his body of work of six legitimately great rebuild jobs to be more impressive than pretty much anything any other coach has accomplished. Most coaches can lead a program once it's on autopilot, but to start from scratch that many times is really something.

You mention the Celtics but omit the Knicks. That was a major turnaround job.

 

[Eric15]

You mention the Celtics but omit the Knicks. That was a major turnaround job.

Good call I totally forgot he coached the Knicks.

 

[Eric15]

There’s just no way on Earth that John Wooden rolling the ball out to Kareem and Bill Walton in an era with little parity is more impressive than six rebuilds.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

I always considered him to be perhaps towards the bottom of the Top 10 in terms of all-time coaching rankings, but the more I think about it, there is a not-insane argument to be made that he is the coaching GOAT.

1. Boston University. Until he arrived, they had not made an NCAA Tournament in their history. In the three years before he arrived, they won 7, 7 and 10 games. In Year 1 Pitino wins 17, Year 2 he wins 21, and in his final season in Year 5 they go to their first ever NCAA Tournament.

2. Providence. The year before he arrives they go 11-20. He has them in the Final Four in Year 2. He leaves, they're 11-17 the following season.

3. Kentucky. They have their worst season ever the year before he arrives going 13-19. He has them National Title good almost immediately. Builds the greatest team ever in 1996, almost repeats in 1997, and then Tubby Smith inherits his players and wins again in 1998, before slowly fading out.

[obviously the Celtics was a nightmare]

4. Louisville. Denny Crum goes 12-19 in his final season. Pitino has them as a 4 seed in Year 2, and then obviously consistent success with multiple final fours up through the national title with an asterisk next to it.

5. Iona. They go 12-17 before Pitino arrives. He then leads them to 25 and 27 win seasons.

6. St Johns. Their best team in 40 years. Legitimate national title contender. MSG is electric.

I don't particularly like Pitino as a human being, he lets off sleazy vibes, but literally no one else has done anything close to this in any other major American sport. I consider his body of work of six legitimately great rebuild jobs to be more impressive than pretty much anything any other coach has accomplished. Most coaches can lead a program once it's on autopilot, but to start from scratch that many times is really something.

He is the Parcells of CBBall.

 

[Eric15]

He is the Parcells of CBBall.

Good call on Parcells. The others that came to mind for me were Nick Saban who made MSU/LSU/Bama better immediately and actually Bruce Pearl who has turned around several programs.

But for Pitino to do it six times is unprecedented.

 

[Dcuse]

Douche.

 

[kcsu]

Rick is a Brilliant coach. Many of the best have issues. Knight Rick others.

 

[bnoro]

Gotta love one thread a week about Rick Pitino. With the same people and the same graphics posted in all of them.

 

[bnoro]

there was always a thought in my mind that he would be great here when he was at Iona. I havent been able to watch ball all season bc Cuse being so bad just makes me so sad it isn't worth it.

I saw this on Instagram today and now am under the impression I'm better at seeing coaching talent at football and basketball that JW. I actually rescind the football part of that bc Fran was an amazing hire, but Fran also called the school himself. It's not like JW scouted him.

I still believe AA can turn the program around, but Rick would have taken the Cuse job in a second and it's just so disappointing

Wow, you figured out he was a good coach when he was at Iona? What an eye you have...

 

[Cheriehoop]

there was always a thought in my mind that he would be great here when he was at Iona. I havent been able to watch ball all season bc Cuse being so bad just makes me so sad it isn't worth it.

I saw this on Instagram today and now am under the impression I'm better at seeing coaching talent at football and basketball that JW. I actually rescind the football part of that bc Fran was an amazing hire, but Fran also called the school himself. It's not like JW scouted him.

I still believe AA can turn the program around, but Rick would have taken the Cuse job in a second and it's just so disappointing

Sorry but he wouldn’t have come here . He’s a NYC guy, it’s why he went to coach at Iona. He loves NYC.

 

[Brooky03]

We’re giving him extra credit for choosing to (or being forced to) bounce around from job to job.

The rebuilds are very impressive and he is an elite coach. He belongs in the top 5.

Sustained success shouldn’t be discounted though. We don’t know what the other greats who didn’t bounce around would have done if they coached at a handful of schools. We don’t know what Pitino would have done if he stayed one place forever (L’ville is the best clue). We could speculate he’d have fists full of championship rings. We could also speculate that the best to ever do it would be excellent at building teams quickly.

I wouldn’t buy the argument that K, Roy, Wright, Self, Izzo, etc., were/are on cruise control. They attracted the talent and developed the talent, not the name on the front of the jerseys. If any of them dropped down to lower tier schools, with the pedigree they all had, they’d be expected to draw talent and win a lot of games.

 

[dwilmont44]

I gotta admit I didn't want Pitino. I wasn't sure how much he had left in the tank. I also dreamed of hiring a competent coach that could potentially be here for over a decade. Oops.

 

[Day2]

there was always a thought in my mind that he would be great here when he was at Iona. I havent been able to watch ball all season bc Cuse being so bad just makes me so sad it isn't worth it.

I saw this on Instagram today and now am under the impression I'm better at seeing coaching talent at football and basketball that JW. I actually rescind the football part of that bc Fran was an amazing hire, but Fran also called the school himself. It's not like JW scouted him.

I still believe AA can turn the program around, but Rick would have taken the Cuse job in a second and it's just so disappointing

It was a huge mistake not hiring him. Huge. He would have taken this roster to the tournament, no question. He would have put together a much better roster, though.