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Rick Pitino says he advised Chris Mack on taking Louisville job


Rick Pitino may be done coaching college basketball, but don’t expect him to stop talking about it anytime soon.

The recently-ousted coach of the Cardinals returned to Louisville this week for a quick stop on his book tour, and he had no issue speaking his mind on a whole host of topics in an interview with the Louisville Courier-Journal.

While his bitterness over his exit and current Louisville Athletics leadership remained intense, Pitino had nothing but praise for his replacement Chris Mack, who compiled a 215–97 record at Xavier before taking over the Cardinals this offseason.

Former college basketball coach Rick Pitino called replacement Chris Mack one of his top three coaches. (Getty Images)
Former college basketball coach Rick Pitino called replacement Chris Mack one of his top three coaches. (Getty Images)

Mack talked to Pitino before he accepted the Louisville job

It might seem strange, considering the two coaches were rivals by proximity and had very differing opinions of the Cardinals’ decision-makers, but Pitino gave his blessing to Mack when the reigning Big East Coach of the Year was mulling over a move to Louisville.

Pitino told the Courier-Journal he advised Mack to take the job with a “clear conscience” and sung his praises to the media.

“I have nothing but the utmost respect for his ability as a coach,” Pitino said of Mack. “It’ll be a different style of play, and one that will bring a winner right away.”

Pitino also said he expects the Cardinals to have one of the most physical and talented rosters in the ACC this year — though it’d be hard for him to feel otherwise since the former coach’s fingerprints are still all over the program.

Pitino floats wild theory about Jim Valvano

While the interview with the Courier-Journal mostly stayed on the topic of Louisville, Mack and the ongoing FBI investigation into college basketball, Pitino did seem to veer into strange territory when he brought up the late Jim Valvano and his downfall at North Carolina State.

Pitino said he believes the NCAA investigation into Valvano’s Wolfpack teams caused the coach’s immune system to begin to fail. Valvano had a notorious battle with cancer that eventually claimed his life in 1993 at 47 years old.

At the time of his death, Valvano had been out of coaching for three years. His cancer diagnosis came two years after he left NC State.

More Pitino thoughts coming soon

In another intriguing twist for those who can’t get enough of Pitino’s mind, the coach says he’ll be starting a college basketball podcast this season.

Work will begin on the podcast once his book tour is complete. Among the various segments that will be included, Pitino will offer up a weekly — and ever-changing — take of which teams he expects to make the Final Four.

Staying off the sidelines doesn’t mean college basketball isn’t getting rid of Pitino that easily.

– – – – – –

Blake Schuster is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at blakeschuster@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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