St. John’s basketball is one of the hottest teams in the country this season under Rick Pitino. The Johnnies are storming into the NCAA Tournament as a No. 2 seed after winning the Big East regular season title and cruising through the Big East Tournament on their way to the title.
Before the Red Storm head out to Providence to take on Omaha in the first round, Rick Pitino had something to say for the NCAA enforcement staff dating all the way back to his time at Louisville. On Monday, he aired out his grievances on The Pat McAfee Show.
“I won’t call the NCAA enforcement staff corrupt but I will call them inept
It takes them five years to decide your fate”@RealPitino #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/akLxKdARHK
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 17, 2025
“I won’t call the NCAA enforcement staff corrupt but I will call them inept,” Pitino said with a laugh. “And the reason I say that is it takes them five years to decide tour fate. Whether you’re guilty to innocent doesn’t matter, it’s gonna take them five years to judge you. After five years I get exonerated, I’m over in Greece coaching a legendary program Panathinaikos, and to be perfectly honest with you, I thought I was gonna end my career in the EuroLeague.”
Pitino made his way back to the states to coach at Iona before bolting for St. John’s. Now, he has built a legitimate national title contender in just year two with the Red Storm.
Pitino’s gripe with the NCAA enforcement staff stems from the controversy that got him fired from Louisville, where he won the 2013 National Championship. The current St. John’s basketball coach was accused of illegally bribing recruits, but he was later exonerated in trial when it was ruled that he didn’t know about the payments.
Louisville is just now getting off the mat since the end of the Pitino era, as Pat Kelsey has the Cardinals back in the NCAA Tournament with a No. 8 seed. St. John’s, meanwhile, got a nice draw to at least get into the Sweet 16 and should be able to compete for a title on the second weekend with some of the other elite teams in the country.
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