Rick Pitino Reveals Candidate to Replace Him at St. John’s When He Retires

The 71-year-old is just beginning to rebuild St. John’s, but already has a replacement in mind when he decides to retire.

Rick Pitino is in his first year at St. John’s as he heads up a rebuild of an iconic basketball program in what is likely the final chapter of his basketball career.

He has no plans to retire anytime soon, but the reality is that he’s 71 years old and his career is closer to the end than the beginning. When he does decide to retire at St. John’s, he has one candidate in mind to replace him.

His son Richard, who is authoring a successful program rebuild of his own at New Mexico.

“I personally want him to stay at New Mexico,” Rick began. “I want him to stay at New Mexico until I leave St. John’s and he can take my place then. The one thing I can tell you about my son, Richard: I have no say in what he does. I did when he was my assistant coach. He’s his own man. So if he wants to go to DePaul, or any place else, that’s going to be his call.”

St. John’s coach Rick Pitino would like to see his son Richard take over the Red Storm after he retires :: Steven Branscombe/USA TODAY Sports

The DePaul job opened in late January when the Big East program fired Tony Stubblefield after a 3–15 start to the season that included an 0–7 mark in Big East play. Richard Pitino is rumored as a candidate.

The younger Pitino is in his third year at New Mexico. The Lobos are primed to return to the NCAA tournament later this year with the way the program has played to date. New Mexico is ranked No. 25 in the latest AP poll with a 19–4 record overall and a 7–3 record in Mountain West play. The program won 22 games and went to the NIT a year ago.

Bigger jobs will certainly be circling for a chance to interview Pitino, but his dad has a job available for him whenever he decides to close the curtain on his legendary coaching career.