Rick and Richard Pitino: A Father-Son Rivalry in Coaching
During Rick Pitino’s coaching career, he squared off against his son Richard four times, winning three of those contests.
These encounters are set to increase, as Richard is stepping in at Xavier, leading to two matchups between Xavier and St. John’s this upcoming regular season.
Both coaches were at Madison Square Garden for Big East Media Day on Tuesday, but the real action starts on January 24, when St. John’s heads to Cincinnati to face Xavier, followed by Xavier’s visit to the Garden on February 9.
Richard has stated that his father’s role at St. John’s didn’t sway his decision to accept the job at Xavier. Still, they anticipate spending more time together this season.
“It didn’t affect me,” Richard shared. “Who knows how long he’ll be coaching? This is my 14th year in the profession… It’s unique to be in the same league as him. But it’s pretty cool too.”
Both coaches aim for excellence in their new roles.
“I joined the Big East because I want to win the Big East,” Richard explained. After eight years at Minnesota and four at New Mexico, he’s looking forward to this challenge. The last two seasons saw him lead his teams into the NCAA Tournament.
Their first shared season in the same conference drew quite a crowd at the Garden on Tuesday.
“It’s exciting,” said Rick. “At Xavier, Richard is experiencing what I went through in my first year at St. John’s, where I had to bring in 13 new players. It’s tough—no one stuck around. But, that’s the nature of the game in the beginning.”
The last time St. John’s and New Mexico faced off was last November, with St. John’s coming out on top. Yet, the two Pitinos seem to maintain a healthy mutual respect rather than overshadowing one another.
“We know each other’s programs really well,” Richard noted. “When I flew out for a Yankees playoff game this month, I stopped by his practice. There’s a coach on his staff I’ve known for ages. I truly want them to succeed.”
This reflects their family’s deep roots in the conference, a familiarity that few coaches possess as Rick does. He headed the Providence Friars in the mid-1980s, leading them to the Final Four in 1987.
Richard might have been just a toddler back then, but he reminisces fondly about Providence.
When that program joined the conference 20 years ago, Rick was busy in his fifth season at Louisville, with Richard assisting there from 2007 to 2009.
Fast forward to the current season, with Rick’s Red Storm ranked in the top five, and Richard leading a mostly new roster, previously coached by Sean Miller before he went to Texas.
“It’s great to have him in the league,” Rick said with enthusiasm. “I’m a huge supporter of his, and I can’t wait to see what he does. He’s worked hard to get where he is.”
