Rick Pitino is gearing up for his first visit back to Louisville since his firing before the 2017-18 season.
On January 2, before a game against Stanford, the ACC school will recognize the contributions of the late Kenny Klein by unveiling a banner in his honor, and Pitino is expected to attend. The following day, St. John’s will play against Butler.
Klein, who was a well-respected sports information director at Louisville before spending the last two years at St. John’s, passed away on June 25 at the age of 66. His banner will be displayed alongside retired numbers at the KFC Yum! Center.
“Kenny was the top sports information guy who managed the media aspect of the Final Four for over 30 years. He handled media for the Kentucky Derby, the Ryder Cup, and in just two years at St. John’s made significant improvements across the board,” Pitino commented on Friday.
To honor Klein this season, St. John’s has left the seat next to Pitino empty at their scorer’s table and added a black band with the initials “K.K.” on their jerseys.
Last season, Louisville recognized the 2005 Final Four team that Pitino coached. He didn’t attend the event, but a video message from him was featured during the celebration. Over his 16 seasons at Louisville, he achieved a national championship and took the Cardinals to the Final Four on three occasions.
“I was let go from [Louisville], and I’ve said many times that I deserved that firing. The individuals who made that decision inappropriately have all moved on,” Pitino noted. “Now, the board has entirely changed, and the new chairman, Larry Benz, who is a friend, even apologized to me in person just a few months ago for how I was treated. I’ve moved on; it’s all behind me.”
There’s a possibility that St. John’s could face Louisville in the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas. If both teams win their initial games, they would meet on Thanksgiving Day.
“I hope Louisville does well in every game, except for one,” Pitino remarked.
In recruiting news, St. John’s is hosting Malachi Jordan, a top 20 prospect from Prolific Prep (Nev.), this weekend. Pitino mentioned that the Red Storm might look to add three high school players for the next season, marking a shift in their recruiting strategy, which has primarily focused on older athletes.
