5 things to know about St. John's coach Rick Pitino

[ASFN Admin]

Rick Pitino is one of the most legendary coaches in the history of men's college basketball, and he's set to make yet another March Madness appearance on the sideline.

Pitino will lead St. John's as a 2-seed in the 2025 men's NCAA tournament and try to lead the program to an unexpected national title.

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It'd be quite the feat if he was able to win the whole bracket with a smaller program like St. John's, one that would further cement him as one of the best in the sport.

While Pitino's career has been documented aplenty over the years, there are still some things to know about the St. John's coach ahead of his team's 2025 March Madness journey. Let's run them down.

1. Pitino played college basketball at UMass​

Pitino played point guard for the Minutemen from 1971-74.

2. His first coaching stop was at Hawaii​

Pitino started as an assistant for the Rainbow Warriors in 1974 before taking over as its interim coach in 1976.

3. He's coached two teams in the NBA​

Pitino spent time with the New York Knicks as a head coach (1987-89) and an assistant (1983-85) and the Boston Celtics as a head coach (1997-2001).

4. He's won two men's NCAA national championships​

Pitino won one with Kentucky in 1996 and one with Louisville in 2013, but that latter title was later vacated by the NCAA.

5. His son, Richard Pitino, coaches at New Mexico​

The younger Pitino has followed in his father's footsteps, posting an 244–184 record as a head coach with stops at FIU, Minnesota and, now, New Mexico.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Rick Pitino facts, what to know about St. John's men's basketball coach

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