Rick Pitino offered him a job as a St. John boss where the waiting game begins
Albany – now St. John is waiting for the decision.
The university’s courtship of Rick Pitino took its next step early Sunday night when senior school officials offered the Hall of Fame coach their job as coach when they met in person on campus, a source told The Post.
Pitino has been the sole focus of Johnny’s coaching search since his split from Mike Anderson nine days earlier.
The Post was the first to report the mutual interest between the two parties the day before St. John fired Anderson, who was let go after four mostly disappointing seasons.
Sources said Pitino plans to make a decision in the next few days, by Wednesday at the latest. He will either stay in Iona or leave for St. John.
The 70-year-old Pitino has led the University of Iona to two MAAC regular season tournament titles and two MAAC tournament titles in the past three years. On Friday, Iona lost to Connecticut in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, ending its 27-win season.
A key worker at St. John Chase is Rector Rev. A source said Brian Shanley, who almost hired Pitino to Providence 12 years ago and was “ruthless” in his pursuit of the legendary coach.
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Pitino wanted another shot at a high level, but he didn’t want to move from his home course at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck.
Sources said he was also drawn to the idea of coaching in the park again, as he did as the Knicks coach from 1987 to 1989.
Pitino had expressed his desire to meet directly with officials and tour the campus and facilities before agreeing to any deal.
“You can’t buy houses without looking at the garage, upstairs, kitchen and everything,” he said on Friday. You don’t just buy a house.
A significant increase in St. John is expected to play for MSG if Pitino takes the job. Billionaire Mike Ripoll, co-founder of Vitaminwater, told The Post on Saturday that he would seek to participate again in the program if Pitino hired and helped with the name, image and likeness.
“He’s the kind of coach the university deserves from the day Louie Karnicica retired,” Ripoll said.
Pitino has an impressive resume: two national championships, seven Final Fours and a . 710 (711-290) winning percentage across 35 seasons.
The first coach to take three schools to the Final Four – Providence, Kentucky and Louisville, he is also the only college coach to have won national championships at two different schools – Kentucky and Louisville.
Pitino had been out of college basketball for three years after being fired by Louisville in the fall of 2017 following the school’s involvement in an FBI investigation into corruption in college basketball.
Pitino settled a lawsuit against the school two years ago, and his dismissal was retroactively changed to a resignation.
In November, he was cleared by the IARP, the independent commission of the NCAA.
So for five years [the NCAA] They put me in the operating room because they couldn’t gather their things.”
Former Manhattan College coach Steve Masiello, who joined Pitino’s staff at Iona this season after he was fired in November and coached with his team for six years in Louisville, thinks his boss can coach for another decade.
Pitino wouldn’t rule it out.
“Now, my desire would be to coach for a long time because…the two years I was out of coaching were the most miserable two years of my life because I missed him so much,” Pitino said recently. “I love teaching. I love coaching. I love motivation. It’s all about it, and I’ve sorely missed it.”
“That’s why I went to Greece. It was a big thing for me. So I hope I can coach for another 12 years, but I’ll take six or seven.”
