Villanova Wildcats men’s basketball coach Kevin Willard has revealed his up-close perspective of working with legendary coach and Hall of Famer Rick Pitino. Willard has made no secret of his admiration for the St. John’s head coach and admits that he sees him as a father figure. The 50-year-old has worked with Pitino in both the NBA and college.
“Pitino Can Go As Long As He Wants”
Pitino is still going strong at the age of 72, but there has been debate about how long the Hall of Famer can continue coaching. When responding to questions about the 72-year-old’s longevity, Willard stated that the St. John’s coach can go as long as he wants.
“He can go as long as he wants,” he said. “He’s got like thirteen grandkids now, and there might come a time when he wants to spend a whole lot more time watching Richard coach at Xavier or being with his grandkids.”
“But from an energy standpoint, from a passion standpoint, to this day there is no one like Rick Pitino, and there never will be anyone like Rick Pitino. It’s very hard for people to understand his energy, and it’s been like that since the first day I walked into the Boston Celtics practice to the last day I worked with him.”
There’s No Level To Pitino’s Energy
Willard also shared what it was like to work up close with the legendary coach, stating that he has a high level of energy and enthusiasm to keep going.
“There is no level you can put on his passion and enthusiasm. He’s still old-school; he still loves to coach the game and get the kids better, and I think that’s why his kids play so hard for him. He still gives individual instruction, he’s on the floor—head coaches don’t do that anymore,” he stated.
Pitino has several remarkable records as a coach. He was named head basketball coach of Iona College in March 2020. The 72-year-old has taken four different programs to the NCAA Tournament and coached two national championship teams.
KEEP READING: “What Jay Expects” Kevin Willard Predicts Villanova To Be A Championship Contender In the Long Term
He spent 32 seasons as a collegiate head coach, where he achieved a 770–271 overall record and a 54–19 record in the NCAA Tournament. The legendary coach became the first-ever to lead three different schools to the NCAA Final Four and the first ever to win an NCAA Championship with two different schools.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, and baseball!
