Rick Pitino knows exactly what comes with leading the Kentucky Wildcats — the expectations, the scrutiny, and the nonstop spotlight. And after Kentucky’s win over St. John’s, the Hall of Fame coach made it clear he believes some of the criticism aimed at current head coach Mark Pope has been unfair.
Kentucky entered Saturday’s matchup having lost four games to ranked opponents, a stretch that sparked heavy criticism around the program. What often went overlooked, Pitino suggested, was that the Wildcats were far from whole.
Projected lottery pick Jayden Quaintance had yet to play a game, while starting point guard Jaland Lowe was dealing with a shoulder injury.
That context mattered — and Pitino wasn’t shy about pointing it out.
“You all need to learn a little bit of a lesson as writers because you’re expecting Kentucky to be this great basketball team with all those injuries,” Pitino said after the game.
“You can’t be a great basketball team without two of your best players, with no point guard, no big men.”
Quaintance finally made his season debut against St. John’s and immediately showed why his return changes the Wildcats’ ceiling. In just 17 minutes, the sophomore big man finished with 10 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks, helping Kentucky pull away for a 78–66 victory.
Pitino said that performance only reinforced his belief that early-season reactions were overblown.
“Everybody really exaggerates one game or two games or three games,” he said. “Kentucky got blown out, and usually Kentucky doesn’t get blown out of any game. But you have to look at it when they come back — two gigantic pieces.”
The former Kentucky coach emphasized that his frustration wasn’t aimed at fans, but rather at media narratives that ignored roster realities during the team’s rough stretch.
Pitino and Pope share a long history, with Pope having served as team captain on Pitino’s 1996 national championship squad. Despite that connection, Pitino downplayed any emotional weight tied to facing Kentucky in Atlanta.
“If this was at Rupp, I think I’d have a lot of emotion,” Pitino said. “But I didn’t have any emotion at all.”
What he did express was pride in Pope’s approach since taking over the program.
“I’m really proud of Mark,” Pitino said. “He’s done a brilliant thing changing the whole mindset of the team — ‘Let’s be tough. Let’s be physical.’ It doesn’t surprise me he made that change.
With key contributors now returning to the lineup, Pitino’s message was simple: Kentucky deserves patience — and the story of this season is far from finished.
