Richard Pitino Defends Father In Louisville Scandal
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO/AP) -- The University of Minnesota men's basketball season is here. That's right, they've been at work for some time but Wednesday was media day at Williams Arena.
They have a lot of new faces, and there isn't much more time for the players to gel. The season opener is less than a month away, Nov. 13 against the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
As Mike Max reports, the day brought the media out to ask the head coach questions about his father's program.
If you don't know many of these players, you are not alone. The Gophers are young and somewhat nondescript, hoping youth and a couple veteran leaders can carry the team.
"We've got a lot of new faces and I can't wait for the opportunity to continue to teach these guys," senior forward Joey King said. "They're off to a great start these first few months and I'm looking forward to what they can accomplish this year."
Normally media days are all about optimism for the upcoming season and there was some of that to be sure, but not completely. Not when your last name is Pitino, and not when there is what's going on over at the University of Louisville.
Yes, Rick Pitino is part of the focus of an investigation to find out if Louisville recruited players by using an escort service. Katina Powell wrote a book that alleges former Louisville staffer Andre McGee paid her and several other women to party with recruits and players from 2010-2014.
Heavy claims, so did dad know anything? Not according to son. Richard Pitino says he had no knowledge of the allegations while he was an assistant at Louisville and also says he knows his father had no knowledge, either.
"I know and I told him this is put your head on the pillow at night and know that you did nothing wrong," Richard Pitino said. "And that you certainly had no knowledge of this."
But the story is not going away and Richard was an assistant for his father in one of the years in question. So could those antennas effect his program or his recruiting? Not according to him.
"I don't at all, not even a little bit do I worry about that," Richard Pitino said.
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