Rick Pitino Offers Opinion on Who Indiana Basketball Should Hire

When Rick Pitino talks…you should listen.

The current St. John’s head coach is one of the most respected program leaders in college basketball. From his time at Kentucky, Providence, and Louisville — to his brief stints with the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics — Pitino has accrued an infinite amount of experience with all things basketball.

The 72-year-old has the Red Storm ranked inside the top 25 and positioned to be a very tough out in the NCAA Tournament. Most recently, Pitino was asked about the Indiana job. He spoke with Barstool Sports specifically on the matter. The position with the Hoosiers will be vacated at the end of the season in the wake of current head coach Mike Woodson stepping down. It’s still considered one of the better jobs in college basketball, and the financial backing of alums and other entities should allow for the next head coach to build a talented roster.

When speaking with Barstool Sports personality Big Cat, Pitino had this to say about the Indiana job:

I’d immediately hire Chris Beard. I wouldn’t even think about another person. He’s perfect for that job. I am a GIGANTIC fan of Chris Beard. I think he would kill it at Indiana. He’d have them in the top 5-7 every single year. He’s a superstar top-three coach in my estimation.

Beard is currently leading the Ole Miss program. As of Feb. 21, the Rebels are ranked No. 24 in the most recent AP Poll. Ole Miss (19-7) is a sure-fire bet to garner a seed in the upcoming tournament.

There’s not a whole lot of commonality between Pitino and Beard. It makes Pitino’s comments even more fascinating. Pitino came from an early generation. He’s got strong East Coast roots and has spent the majority of his life in the region. Beard is 20 years younger, never coached under Pitino, and has his roots mostly in Texas and Georgia.

When Beard was coaching Texas Tech, Pitino received an invitation to speak to the team. In speaking with Big Cat, Pitino was floored by how well ran the practices were under Beard’s leadership.

Beard took Texas Tech to the National Title game a few years ago before ultimately losing to Virginia. He then left for the Texas job — only to be fired over an arrest stemming from a domestic violence incident (which was eventually dropped/Beard was cleared).

Now back with Ole Miss, he’s taken a dilapidated program at a school known for football and has since made the Rebels a real threat within the competitive SEC.

With Woodson stepping down after the year, it will be fascinating to see who Indiana turns to. Michigan’s Dusty May and UCLA’s Mick Cronin could also be targeted in addition to Beard.