Rick Pitino Speaker Biography
Championship Winning NCAA Basketball Coach and Head Coach at St. John’s
Rick Pitino, the first coach in NCAA history to take three different teams to the NCAA Final Four, was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013. A 2006 inductee to the New York City Hall of Fame, Pitino has the second-highest winning percentage in NCAA Tournament games among active coaches, winning 75 percent of his games in the post-season event with a 50-17 record in 19 tournament appearances.
NCAA Tournaments
Pitino is one of only two coaches (along with North Carolina’s Roy Williams) in NCAA history to have led two different schools to at least three Final Fours each. He is one of only four coaches (also Jim Boeheim, Mike Krzyzewski and Dean Smith) ever to guide a school to the Final Four in four separate decades. Pitino is one of a select group of eight coaches who have taken teams from four different schools to the NCAA Tournament. He is one of five coaches all-time who have reached the Final Four on at least seven occasions. Pitino is known for getting his players to believe in themselves, instilling the desire to succeed and driving his players to overachieve. His former players speak of their coach’s caring nature beyond their basketball skills. As evident, by twenty-nine of his former assistants or players have become collegiate head coaches.
Boston Celtics
For three and a half years, Pitino served as president and head coach of the NBA’s Boston Celtics. With the Celtics, he took over a team that had posted a franchise worst 15-67 record before his arrival. He quickly made an impact helping provide culture to a talented, but young team; improving the Celtics’ victory total by 21 games in his first season.
Final Four
He guided Kentucky to three NCAA Final Four appearances in his last five years at Kentucky, winning the 1996 NCAA Championship and reaching the national title game in 1997. In eight seasons with the Wildcats, he amassed a 219-50 record (.814) while winning two league crowns and an impressive 17-1 record in the Southeastern Conference Tournament.
Boston University
Pitino was only 25 years old when he accepted his first head coaching job at Boston University in 1978. He produced a 91-51 record in five years there, departing as the most successful coach in BU history. In his final season there, he guided the Terriers to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 24 years. He was twice named New England Coach of the Year (1979, 1983).
New York Nicks
Pitino left Boston U. to become an assistant coach for the New York Knicks from 1983-85, where he worked with hall of fame coach Hubie Brown. It was a team he would return to lead as its head coach in two seasons.
Providence College
He was head coach at Providence College for two seasons (1985-87), producing a 42-23 record there. He guided the Friars to an NCAA Tournament appearance in 1986 and an improbable trip to the NCAA Final Four in 1987, winning the regional title in Freedom Hall.
St. John’s University
On March 20, 2023, he was named head basketball coach at St. John’s University.
Rick Pitino Speaking Topics
A Conversation with Coach Rick Pitino
Rick Pitino has worked with many teams as a head basketball coach. From his time in the NBA with the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics, to his successful run as NCAA head coach at Boston University, Providence University, University of Kentucky, and, most recently, University of Louisville, Pitino looks backs at his illustrious career. This is one speech that fans of basketball and sports alike won't want to miss
One-Day Contract
Based on his book of the same name, Rick details his key to success, on the court and in life: to focus on making the most of each day, by creating a contract with yourself. Coach Pitino was able to turn Louisville into NCAA champions by applying this idea to everything he and the team did -- every practice, every recruiting visit, every game preparation, every scouting report, every instruction that he gave players and coaches, and everything he did himself. Each day became just as important as reaching the national championship, and so, by honoring the one-day contract, he and Louisville moved through adversity toward their goal.
How to Have Success Battling Adversity
NY Times Best Selling Author of "Success is a Choice", Rick Pitino is seeking to provide professional development through a discussion on how to handle adversity. Adversity can come from within the workplace to dealing with market conditions, it is something that every company and individual goes through at some degree. This discussion will cover how to overcome tough times through teamwork, leadership, adapting, and personal growth; and will also feature a Q&A with coach to close the seminar. With firms and businesses dealing with various hardships recently, there is something in this seminar for everyone. Rick wants to share his knowledge to help firms continue to grow and remain successful even through difficult and rapidly changing circumstances.
Success Is a Choice
While being both captivating and charismatic, Coach Pitino will offer you practical steps to building personal self-esteem as well as "team ego." He will teach you, the audience, to maintain focus and act with group integrity through decisiveness, flexibility and consistency. He will take the same proven methods that have earned his teams legendary status in the NCAA to give you a plan of attack for achieving extraordinary success in your own life. He will explain how any genuine success must be earned and then presents a ten-step program for becoming a winner at anything you set your mind to. He will teach you how to build self-esteem and use goals and a positive attitude to accomplish what you want. His clients include Pepsi, Marriott Vacation Club, Hyundia, RE/MAX, World Financial Group, JP Morgan, Morton's Steakhouse and Microsoft just to mention a few. Coach Pitino will show you how communication and role models can help. He will explain and give you examples of how stress and adversity can be turned to your advantage. His ten-step plan isn't for quitters or for people looking for the easy road to success. But neither is it for the superstar talents or those with a Midas touch who expect their luck to hold forever. "Success Is a Choice" is for anyone who is serious about making dreams reality. It's a tool for preparing yourself for the challenges you face - from developing habits and discipline that will get you started down the path to success to learning the value of ferocious persistence as you begin to reach and surpass your goals.
Virtual Presentation
Hosting his speech program on Zoom with an added Q&A to close the webinar.
Rick Pitino Books
The One-Day Contract: How to Add Value to Every Minute of Your Life
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Pitino: My Story
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The One-Day Contract: How to Add Value to Every Minute of Your Life
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REBOUND RULES: The Art of Success 2.0
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Success is a Choice Ten Steps to Overachieving in Business and Life
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Lead to Succeed: Ten Traits of Great Leadership in Business and Life
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Rick Pitino Articles
Rick Pitino Speaker Testimonials
I cannot express how wonderful Rick was during his presentation and also during the meet and greet! He was a delight to listen to and was very personable to all the Managers.
- Woodmen of the World Life Insurance Society |
