The rumor milling is churning, and the latest one is that former Louisville coach Rick Pitino nearly became the next head coach at Rhode Island.
Pitino had been one of the best coaches in America for the Cardinals, but it all came crashing down thanks to an FBI investigation into corruption in college sports. It seemed highly unlikely that Pitino would ever be hired again, but crazier things have happened.
People started to chatter earlier in the week when a small sports website claimed RI offered $2 million a year to replace Dan Hurley.
Go Local Prov Sports reported:
According to multiple sources, the deal would have paid the embattled Hall of Fame Coach Pitino $2 million a year. Pitino’s salary at Rhode Island would have been less than Hurley’s new contract at the University of Connecticut and less than a third of Pitino’s total package he had received at Louisville before his ouster.
But, when Bjorn took the offer to URI President David Dooley the hiring was shot down. According to multiple sources, Dooley balked due to Pitino’s ties to an FBI probe of the NCAA and other controversies.
Rhode Island denied that it was ever close to hiring the disgraced college coach.
Allow me to explain why this rumor is so easily believable. There is almost always going to be some program that isn’t in a Power Five conference willing to take a shot on a down and out coach. Now, are they going to take a shot at a guy as disgraced as Pitino? Probably not, but crazier things have happened.
The saving grace for Pitino right now is that he has been charged with a crime, and the FBI’s investigation into college basketball is widely viewed as a joke. However, he was still thrown under the bus in spectacular fashion after Louisville allegedly paid a recruit $100,000.
RI is a very solid program, and they have the talent to win right now. It’s not crazy to think they’d want to make a splash. Now, a rumor and actually doing it are two very different things. Another thing to consider is that in college sports there’s always a bit of a feeling out process. Happens all the time. Schools and coaches might take a nibble, but never get to serious talks. That happens on a daily basis. It’s possible that RI maybe wanted a nibble, but nothing serious.
Either way, I would bet on seeing Pitino back in the Power Five anytime soon.