Rick Pitino, head coach of St. John's, firmly stated he has no interest in returning as the head coach of the New York Knicks. After the Knicks dismissed Tom Thibodeau following their first Eastern Conference finals appearance in 25 years, Pitino highlighted the immense pressure on the next coach, emphasizing that they are expected to reach the NBA Finals to be considered successful. Pitino's coaching record includes a two-season tenure with the Knicks in the late 80s, where he had a mixed outcome. He recently earned accolades at St. John's after a successful season.
Absolutely not, Pitino said during a broadcast of Wednesday's game between the New York Yankees and the Cleveland Guardians.
I think whoever comes in, if he doesn't get to the Finals, it's going to be deemed an unsuccessful season, Pitino continued.
The Knicks fired head coach Tom Thibodeau on Tuesday despite reaching the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 25 years.
The Hall of Famer completed his second season as the head coach at St. John's in 2024-25, winning national and Big East Coach of the Year honors after finishing 31-5.
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