Rick Pitino can be scratched off the list of candidates for the New York Knicks‘ coaching vacancy. The St. John’s men’s basketball coach was asked if he would make his return to the NBA on Wednesday during a broadcast of the New York Yankees’ game against the Cleveland Guardians.
Pitino, donning a Yankees jersey, gave an emphatic response.
“Absolutely not,” Pitino said. “I think whoever comes in, if he doesn’t get to the Finals, it’s going to be deemed an unsuccessful season. So, whoever comes in has got so much pressure on them to take this team to the next level cause that’s why they’re doing it, obviously, in their minds.”
A native of New York City, the 72-year-old Pitino is no stranger to the Knicks. He was an assistant coach in New York from 1983-85 and led the Knicks from 1987-89. He left after two seasons with a 90-74 record and consecutive appearances in the NBA playoffs.
Pitino, who has also coached at college basketball blue bloods Louisville and Kentucky, recently made his return to New York with St. John’s, which plays some of its regular-season home games inside Madison Square Garden. Pitino is fresh off leading the Red Storm to both the Big East regular season and tournament titles and an appearance in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Knicks, meanwhile, made the decision to fire former coach Tom Thibodeau just days after he led New York to its first appearance in the Eastern Conference finals since 2000.
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“I think everybody’s kind of shocked,” Pitino said. “You don’t fire people that take you to the Eastern finals and with the whole town so excited about the team. They partied on 7th Avenue and we’re not even in the Finals. So I think everybody’s in shock. But rather than pass judgement, Thibs (Thibodeau) has got three years left.
“They made the decision. They’ve got to live with it. Let’s see.”
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