Rick Pitino

Championship Winning NCAA Basketball Coach and Head Coach at Iona College

In-Person Fee Range
$50,000 or greater
(Inquire for virtual fee)

Travels From
New York, United States

Championship Winning NCAA Basketball Coach and Head Coach at St. Johns

Rick Pitino, the first coach in NCAA history to take three different teams to the NCAA Final Four, was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013. A 2006 inductee to the New York City Hall of Fame, Pitino has the second-highest winning percentage in NCAA Tournament games among active coaches, winning 75 percent of his games in the post-season event with a 50-17 record in 19 tournament appearances.

NCAA Tournaments

Pitino is one of only two coaches (along with North Carolina’s Roy Williams) in NCAA history to have led two different schools to at least three Final Fours each. He is one of only four coaches (also Jim Boeheim, Mike Krzyzewski and Dean Smith) ever to guide a school to the Final Four in four separate decades. Pitino is one of a select group of eight coaches who have taken teams from four different schools to the NCAA Tournament. He is one of five coaches all-time who have reached the Final Four on at least seven occasions. Pitino is known for getting his players to believe in themselves, instilling the desire to succeed and driving his players to overachieve. His former players speak of their coach’s caring nature beyond their basketball skills. As evident, by twenty-nine of his former assistants or players have become collegiate head coaches.

Boston Celtics

For three and a half years, Pitino served as president and head coach of the NBA’s Boston Celtics. With the Celtics, he took over a team that had posted a franchise worst 15-67 record before his arrival. He quickly made an impact helping provide culture to a talented, but young team; improving the Celtics’ victory total by 21 games in his first season.

Final Four

He guided Kentucky to three NCAA Final Four appearances in his last five years at Kentucky, winning the 1996 NCAA Championship and reaching the national title game in 1997. In eight seasons with the Wildcats, he amassed a 219-50 record (.814) while winning two league crowns and an impressive 17-1 record in the Southeastern Conference Tournament.

Boston University

Pitino was only 25 years old when he accepted his first head coaching job at Boston University in 1978. He produced a 91-51 record in five years there, departing as the most successful coach in BU history. In his final season there, he guided the Terriers to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 24 years. He was twice named New England Coach of the Year (1979, 1983).

New York Nicks

Pitino left Boston U. to become an assistant coach for the New York Knicks from 1983-85, where he worked with hall of fame coach Hubie Brown. It was a team he would return to lead as its head coach in two seasons.

Providence College

He was head coach at Providence College for two seasons (1985-87), producing a 42-23 record there. He guided the Friars to an NCAA Tournament appearance in 1986 and an improbable trip to the NCAA Final Four in 1987, winning the regional title in Freedom Hall.

How to Have Success Battling Adversity

NY Times Best Selling Author of "Success is a Choice", Rick Pitino is seeking to provide professional development through a discussion on how to handle adversity. Adversity can come from within the workplace to dealing with market conditions, it is something that every company and individual goes through at some degree. This discussion will cover how to overcome tough times through teamwork, leadership, adapting, and personal growth; and will also feature a Q&A with coach to close the seminar. With firms and businesses dealing with various hardships recently, there is something in this seminar for everyone. Rick wants to share his knowledge to help firms continue to grow and remain successful even through difficult and rapidly changing circumstances.

All Rick Pitino Books

Pitino: My Story
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The One-Day Contract: How to Add Value to Every Minute of Your Life
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REBOUND RULES: The Art of Success 2.0
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Success is a Choice Ten Steps to Overachieving in Business and Life
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Lead to Succeed: Ten Traits of Great Leadership in Business and Life
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Recent Books

Pitino: My Story
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The One-Day Contract: How to Add Value to Every Minute of Your Life
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