When Rick Pitino speaks about Kentucky basketball, it carries weight. The Hall of Fame coach led the Wildcats to a national title, mentored countless players, and shaped part of the program’s identity. Now at St. John’s, Pitino is preparing to face his former player turned head coach, Mark Pope, in the upcoming CBS Sports Classic.
Appearing on Jon Rothstein’s podcast, Pitino didn’t hold back his admiration. “I think anytime you play Kentucky, what I’ve always called the Roman Empire of college basketball, you know you’re going to go against great talent.