Rick Pitino’s Long Journey to Get Payback Against Duke

Thirty-four years ago, Christian Laettner hit one of the most famous shots in basketball.

The hated Duke star made an improbable buzzer-beater to lead the Blue Devils past Rick Pitino’s Kentucky Wildcats in the Sweet 16. After the game, Pitino told reporters he hopes for a chance to pay back Duke with a March Madness buzzer-beater of their own.

The legendary coach would lead Kentucky to the Final Four the following season and a championship in 1996. That earned him a job at the NBA level with the Boston Celtics, but his desire for revenge against Duke was left unfulfilled.

That will change on Sunday as the Pitino-led Red Storm takes on the one-seed Duke Blue Devils in the Sweet 16. BetMGM has the ACC champs as a -6.5 favorite to win; many expect the game to be the most entertaining of the round.

Before the highly anticipated game tips off, let’s take a look at how Pitino finally got his chance at revenge.

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Louisville Success, Scandal

Pitino’s coaching at Kentucky earned him a shot in the NBA, but he didn’t last long. He returned to college after three seasons, signing a contract to coach the Louisville Cardinals. He turned the program around quickly, ending a 19-year Final Four drought in 2005. 

The school would see its third-ever NCAA Tournament championship in 2013, but the celebration wouldn’t last long.

In 2015, it was discovered that Pitino’s staff had been arranging visits from prostitutes to help sway recruits. As a result, the NCAA forced the school to vacate its recent March Madness title. Pitino has always insisted he was unaware of the accusations, but he was criticized for his lack of control over his staff.

Two years later, a federal bribery probe found that Louisville was paying its top recruits, long before NIL. Pitino wasn’t directly named in the investigation, but was included under the alias “Coach 2.” 

The school responded by firing its long-time coach, beginning his long detour back to relevance.

The Comeback

In 2018, Pitino agreed to become the head coach of Panathinaikos of the EuroLeague. He had success with the team until 2020, when he left to return to the US.

To the surprise of many, Pitino returned to college basketball following his time in Greece. He was named the head coach of Iona College’s men’s basketball team on March 14, 2020. He led the team to two regular-season MAAC titles, two conference tournament titles, and two March Madness appearances.

After a few seasons of success at Iona, Pitino would get an offer that would once again change his life. 

In March of 2023, Pitino was named the head coach of the Big East’s St. John’s University. The Red Storm were once a powerhouse, but hadn’t advanced past the Round of 32 since 1999. The New York fanbase faded over the years, but Pitino has been changing that.

The legendary coach won the regular-season Big East title in his second season, the school’s first since 2000. 

Now, he is trying to lead the Johnies to their first Elite Eight in 28 years.

Pitino Has Chance to Cap Historic Career

When Pitino was ousted at Louisville, many believed his incredible career would finally come to a close. Instead of being remembered as one of the greatest college coaches in history, his name would be forever connected to the scandals uncovered at Louisville. 

While Pitino’s name no longer comes with all the same praise it once did, his success at St. John’s is changing his story. The once-dominant program is located in the country’s largest media market and has captured the hearts of fans around the city. 

If the coach can help lead the Johnnies past Duke in the Sweet 16, his name will once again be returned to prominence. The victory would provide his desired revenge, deliver a massive win for the program, and put them within a game of the school’s first Final Four since 1985.