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My old Kentucky home? Pitino rules out UNLV, mum on Louisville rumors
Updated: Monday March 05, 2001 7:59 AM
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Rick Pitino candidly admitted Sunday that he wants to get back into college coaching. He was nowhere near as forthcoming when asked whether his return would come at UNLV, Louisville or somewhere else. But on Sunday night, UNLV posted a statement on its Web site saying the former Boston Celtics and Kentucky coach won't be working there. "While speaking with Rick Pitino earlier this evening, he expressed to me the fact that he didn't feel he was a good fit for the UNLV men's basketball program," UNLV athletics director Charles Cavagnaro said. "Obviously, we are disappointed that Coach Pitino has reached this decision, but we are moving forward with our continued search for a basketball coach that will benefit both UNLV and the Las Vegas community." Pitino attended Florida's 94-86 victory over Kentucky on Sunday. It was the first college game he had seen live since last year's Final Four, and he said it made him realize how much he missed it. "I plan on coaching at the collegiate level someday again," he said. "When that will be, I don't know." When Denny Crum announced his retirement from Louisville last week, Pitino was immediately rumored as a possible successor. He said the school has not contacted him. "I didn't even know it had opened until Denny announced his retirement, so it hasn't piqued my interest at all," Pitino said. "I really haven't thought about it, to tell the truth." That was not the case with the UNLV job. He had been involved in a long courting process with the president and athletic director at the Las Vegas school. Most recently, his wife visited the city, and Pitino said she enjoyed the trip. He said he was interested in the job, but was worried about whether he could recruit well enough from the junior college ranks to make UNLV a national powerhouse again. "If I think I can recruit tremendous high school players there, then it becomes an extremely attractive job," Pitino said. "That's what I'm struggling with. Some people I respect say you have to recruit the junior college ranks hard. I'm not real good at junior college recruiting because my background is not in junior college recruiting." Another possible factor in Pitino's thinking: Earlier this season, the NCAA placed UNLV on probation for four years, and denied it two scholarships for each of the next two seasons. The school then fired head coach Bill Bayno. In January, Pitino resigned as head coach and president of the Celtics after 31/2 unsuccessful seasons in which he went 102-146 and failed to make the playoffs. He also coached the New York Knicks, but his reputation was built in the college game. He took Kentucky from the depths of probation to three Final Fours and one national title in 1996. Before Kentucky, he took an upstart Providence team to the Final Four. He also took Boston University to the NCAA tournament. Some regarded his move to the Celtics as folly, although he claims he has no regrets. "To me, you learn everything in winning and in losing," Pitino said. "The Boston Celtics were a tremendous source of pride for me. The people I've met, from Red Auerbach, to Cousy to Heinsohn to Russell, I wouldn't give up those scenarios at all." Pitino will work the NCAA tournament for CBS as an analyst. His 25th wedding anniversary is nearing. "Outside of that, I don't have anything in mind at all," he said. "You take it day by day. When you're an unemployed coach, that's what you have to do."
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