Rick Pitino has never been shy about speaking his mind, and after St. John’s fell to Kentucky in Atlanta, he didn’t hold back — but this time, it wasn’t the usual criticism. Instead, the Hall of Fame coach had a surprising message for Big Blue Nation: relax, and trust Mark Pope.
Pitino started by tipping his hat to the player who flipped the game on its head.
“I congratulate UK for the great second half. I think a big difference is the play when Jaland Lowe comes in the game — they’re a different basketball team,” Pitino said. “He makes people better. He is very tough to guard in pick-and-rolls.”
Then he turned the spotlight to Kentucky head coach Mark Pope and what he called a total transformation of the Wildcats’ identity.
“I think Mark did a brilliant thing,” Pitino said. “He came into the season thinking he had this great shooting team, and it’s obvious it’s probably just an average shooting team. So he said, ‘I’ll change the whole mindset.’ We’re going to be a physical team. We’re going to be a tough team. They totally changed the personality of who they are.”
Pitino added that the return of injured players has only made Kentucky stronger.
“That’s all he talks about — physicality and toughness. I think he made a change, and now the injured guys have come back. That makes them a much better basketball team,” he explained.
Then came the line BBN will be screenshotting for weeks. Pitino took aim at the media and fans expecting perfection from an injury-plagued Kentucky squad.
“I think you all need to learn a little bit of a lesson as writers,” Pitino said. “You’re expecting Kentucky to be this great basketball team with all those injuries. You can’t be a great basketball team without two of your best players, with no point guard, no big men.”
He reminded everyone that many of the blowout losses came without the team’s “two gigantic pieces” and made it clear where he sees the Wildcats heading.
“So I think they’ll be a very good basketball team,” Pitino said. “They’re going to have to keep playing smashmouth basketball and play like that physical team, and I give Mark all the credit in the world.”
For fans who’ve been on edge all season, hearing Rick Pitino tell everyone to trust Mark Pope is not something you’d expect. But with Kentucky healthy and a clear identity emerging, the message is simple: stop panicking — and let Pope do his thing.
