St. Johns Rick Pitino unfazed by NIL challenges that have driven coaches to retirement

The changing landscape of college basketball has at least in part contributed to the exodus of several Hall of Fame coaches.Jay Wright, Mike Krzyzewski, Roy Williams and last week Tony Bennett have all said goodbye.The advent of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) and the transfer portal have been seen as the impetus for them to hang it up, Bennett saying the sport is “not in a healthy spot” and needs “change.”“I think I was equipped to do the job here the old way,” the 55-year-old Bennett said.Rick Pitino is not going to add to that disconcerting trend, and he pointed to one major factor, despite recently turning 72, for that.“If you have something that’s very stimulating to go into retirement it’s not a bad thing, but for somebody who’s coached as long as I have, I can’t live without teaching young players to play the game,” the St.

John’s coach said on Big East media day on Wednesday at the Garden.“My perspective on it all, I took a year off and I didn’t enjoy it.”Pitino got a glimpse of life without coaching.

Of life without basketball.He spent a year living mostly in Miami after he was fired by Louisville in October of 2017.

It was a good life.But not the one he wanted to live.“I missed it too much,” the two-time national champion said.

“I got a chance to recognize what it would be like without it, and I didn’t like it too much.”Pitino joked that instead of home visits in recruiting, they now go right to the negotiating table.The new terrain seems to suit him and St.John’s.

It enabled him, upon taking over the Queens school, to put together a strong roster in his first season, one that won 20 games and finished fifth in the Big East, although the Johnnies were an NCAA Tournament snub.This offseason, the expectation is that St.John’s won’t have to worry about the selection committee.

Pitino landed two of the top guards in the transfer portal in Kadary Richmond (Seton Hall) and Deivon Smith (Utah) while being able ...