2019-08-15T08:43:22+00:00

2019-08-15T08:43:22+00:00

2019-08-15T08:43:57+00:00.

Rick Pitino discusses story that marked his final days at Louisville, his lawyers ask federal judge to reopen discovery in lawsuit.

By John Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net

Former Panathinaikos OPAP head coach, Rick Pitino, talked to CBS Sports Network about not returning to the Greens for the 2019-20 season and Louisville, among other topics. The full interview is set to air on August 23rd, but a six-minute preview clip was released.

Lesley Visser sat down with Rick Pitino for an exclusive interview. Watch a clip of the interview from tonight’s We Need To Talk. pic.twitter.com/RXb2aGjIIT — CBS Sports Network (@CBSSportsNet) August 13, 2019

On turning down the offer from Panathinaikos, he confirmed his grandson’s health prevented him from returning to the Greek EuroLeague side. Last year, he led the Greens to 10 wins in 19 games and to to the playoffs of Europe’s premier competition.

“How the hell was I supposed to know that” he replied to a question on the strippers scandal, among the issues that marked his final days at Louisville. Meanwhile, ESPN reported that his lawyers asked a federal judge to reopen discovery in his lawsuit.

Earlier this week, an allegation of a Louisville trustee making payments to strippers surfaced. The strippers allegedly danced and had sex with players and recruits during parties at a campus dorm. Pitino sued Louisville in November 2017 claiming a breach of contract when he was fired.

The lawsuit cited three reasons for the early termination of his contract with the Cardinals, among them his failing to monitor his staff members arranging the strippers parties. He once again denied any knowledge.

“I can’t sit here though and say, I should have known because if I could have known, I would have stopped it within ten seconds and I don’t know what I would have done. It would have been very, very severe to the people that did this” Pitino cleared out in his interview.

All said, the 66-year-old coach admitted he would surely consider returning to Louisville. “One hundred percent. I loved the University of Louisville. I loved the University of Kentucky. I loved the people of Kentucky” he pointed out.

“I’m not going to let five to seven, ten people spoil my feelings for a place I spent 17 years. The one thing you learn when you’re 66 is, man, put it behind you and get over yourself” Pitino added.

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