Rick Pitino

NCAA legendary coach Rick Pitino, who has a contract with the Greek national team, said in two interviews this weekend he is ready to fly to Greece to coach Panathinaikos if the 2019-2020 Euroleague continues this summer. He also reiterated his will to coach Greece.

Greek basketball champion Panathinaikos is looking for its next coach for when the action resumes in Greece and in Europe, after the departure of Rick Pitino back to the US.

The legendary coach is returning to the NCAA, as he has just signed a five-year contract with Iona, starting this fall.

Rick Pitino practically announced his return to Panathinaikos' bench on Wednesday, generating excitement among the fans of the Greek basketball champion.

A few days after the Greek basketball federation confirmed the hiring of the NCAA legendary coach for the Greek national team, Pitino tweeted he is happy to be returning to the club he had coached from December 2018 to June 2019.

Greece coach Rick Pitino says he is planning on trying to qualify for the 2020 Olympics without Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Pitino officially took over as coach of the Greek national basketball team on Monday. He said he would leave a roster place open for Antetokounmpo in qualifying games but is not sure if he will be able to rely on his best player.

NCAA legendary coach Rick Pitino is returning to Greece to coach the Greek national team, in the hope his mandate is not restricted to the Olympic qualification tournament but also extends to Tokyo 2020.

The Pitino era for Greece started on Friday with the cordial agreement of the 67-year-old American coach and the president of the federation Giorgos Vassilakopoulos.

Rick Pitino has agreed to coach the Greek national basketball team and lead its effort to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The Greek basketball federation said on Friday Pitino will be officially presented on Monday, when details of his agreement will be announced.

Rick Pitino is leaving Panathinaikos, the team he coached to a Greek League championship this season, he told ESPN on Friday.

The Hall of Famer said he turned down an offer to return as the franchise's president and head coach in order to pursue a job in the NBA, either in coaching or in a player personnel or advisory role.

Panathinaikos won its third consecutive and 38th overall league title on Friday, sweeping proud finalist Promitheas Patras with a 111-77 result at the Olympic Sports Hall and a 3-0 score in the best-of-five finals. Having also beaten PAOK in the final in February, the Greens completed yet another domestic double.

Panathinaikos coach Rick Pitino has criticized fans of the Greek club for smoking and lighting flares during games, saying they are showing a lack of respect for the players.
"It's extremely self-centered and selfish of people," Pitino said late Wednesday after Panathinaikos beat Peristeri 91-68 in the Greek league semifinals. He described the atmosphere at the game as "awful."

The Cleveland Cavaliers were quick to halt any talk that they have interest in Rick Pitino as a candidate for their vacant head coaching position, cleveland.com reported on Sunday.

The report, citing an unnamed source, said the Cavaliers have had no conversations with Pitino and "are respectfully not interested in him at all."