Out at Louisville following an FBI probe into illegal recruiting and other NCAA violations, Rick Pitino is hoping to return to coaching.
But, instead of returning to college hoops, Pitino has his sights set on a return to the NBA.
Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013, Pitino has coached in the NBA before for both the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics. Not incredibly successful in the NBA (192-220), Pitino has had much more luck coaching in the college ranks and has a career mark of 647-392.
Nonetheless, the 66-year-old intends to pursue a coaching gig in the NBA in the spring.
“I just want to be a part of an organization,” Pitino told ESPN. “I want to develop young players. I want to be part of a team. I miss it terribly. I’m using this time to really study the NBA. If something opens up with a young basketball team, I’d have deep interest in it. I think the league is going to get younger and player development will become even more important to every organization. That’s my forte. I believe I can help an organization find a pathway to success.”
For a team looking to develop young talent, perhaps turning to a proven pro like Pitino could make sense. But it might be a much more difficult proposition to sell a fan base on his checkered past.
To help him land a job in The Association, Pitino has hired high-profile agent Drew Rosenhaus.
“I want to develop teams and develop players and build a winner,” Pitino told ESPN. “I value analytics. I want to fit into an organization. At this stage, that’s all I’m interested in.”
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