Rick Pitino says he deserved to be fired: ‘I totally agree with the University of Louisville’
A federal investigation and Southern District of New York ruling exonerated Rick Pitino in the eyes of the law in 2018.
But college basketball was not yet ready to accept one of its most formidable coaches back to the game, with a recruiting scandal that included stripper parties and improper benefits paid to recruits during his time with the Louisville Cardinals.
So Pitino, 67, embarked to Greece where he coached pro ball for two years before being hired at Iona over the weekend. All the while, he maintained his innocence while also brushing off any responsibility. But he changed that tune on Monday during a lengthy interview with WFAN in New York.
“Looking back on it now, I deserved to be fired by Louisville,” Pitino said. “Was I innocent of any wrongdoing? Yes I was, but I was the leader and I deserved to be fired. I need to move on and that’s what I probably have learned the most.”
