Rick Pitino loves basketball so much that he hopes it kills him. Kind of.
His comments were tongue-in-cheek, but were they really?
Pitino, 71, is in the final chapter of his college basketball coaching career. He took the job at St. John’s back in March and will ultimately retire in Queens.
The goal, of course, is to bring a national championship to the Red Storm. If he gets there, Pitino joked that he hopes to go out on top. Literally.
According to Elizabeth Merrill of ESPN, the legendary coach once told his team that he wants to die on the basketball court— during a game. Literally. And not just any game, but the national championship.
Berrick JeanLouis, one of the stars at Iona, remembers exactly what his coach said.
Pitino told the Gaels that he wanted to die while down by five points at halftime of the national title game. He wanted his team to come back and win the game in his honor.
I don’t know if he was joking or not. I was like, “this man is crazy.”
— Berrick JeanLouis, via ESPN
When asked about his speech, Pitino confirmed that it was true. However, he said that it was more a figure of speech than reality. It would be his preference to pass peacefully in his sleep.
Still, for Pitino to even dream up such a specific and detailed death scenario is a testament to his love of the game. He wants to get back to the top. He wants to go out as a winner.
St. John’s is 7-2 in its first season with Pitino as head coach. The team is set up to make the NCAA Tournament and nothing short of The Big Dance will do.
If the positive momentum can continue, and Rick Pitino can stay on the sideline until he is 80 like he hopes, there is a real chance for the Red Storm to grant him his literal dying wish. A national championship is the goal!