Rick Pitino knows the New York basketball scene better than most, and he’s not afraid to speak his mind. So when the longtime coach was asked about a possible return to the Knicks sideline, his answer came fast-and without hesitation.
“Absolutely not,”Pitino said on-air during broadcast.
The timing of his comment wasn’t random. The Knicks had just parted ways with Tom Thibodeau a day earlier, despite the veteran coach leading them to their first Eastern Conference finals since 2000. The search for his replacement began immediately, and naturally, Pitino’s name surfaced in media chatter.
But he’s not having it.
Too Much Pressure, Too Little Patience
“If [the new coach] doesn’t get to the Finals, it’s going to be deemed an unsuccessful season,” Pitino said.“There’s so much pressure to take this team to the next level-that’s why they’re doing this, obviously, in their minds.”
Pitino would know. He coached the Knicks from 1987 to 1989, taking the team to the playoffs twice. But at 72, his focus is on a different kind of New York basketball project-one that’s thriving.
He just wrapped up a breakout second year at St. John’s, finishing with a 31-5 record and earning both national and Big East Coach of the Year honors. He’s clearly not itching for an NBA return.
“I’m loving where I am,” he told YES Network’s Michael Kay.“At this stage in my life, I’m all about legacy, and that’s going to be built at St. John’s.”
The Knicks, meanwhile, continue their hunt for a leader who can break the franchise’s 51-year championship drought. But Rick Pitino won’t be taking that call.
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