ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, May 31, 1996 TAG: 9605310039
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: LEXINGTON, KY.
SOURCE: Associated Press
Rick Pitino listened to his heart and turned his back on a fortune.
The Kentucky basketball coach Thursday declined a five-year offer estimated at up to $30 million to become coach, general manager and part-owner of the NBA's New Jersey Nets.
``My wife gave me some simple advice: `Listen to your heart,''' said Pitino, who guided the Wildcats to an NCAA championship this past season. ``I realized now that my heart is with the players of Kentucky.''
Pitino, who grew up in the New York area and left the NBA's New York Knicks in 1989 to coach at Kentucky, makes about $1 million a year at Kentucky from base salary and other sources including a sneaker deal, speaker's fees, basketball camps and television.
But he was seriously tempted by the Nets' offer. He interviewed with Nets CEO Joseph Taub and president Michael Rowe on May 24 in Cincinnati, then went on a golfing trip with a Kentucky alumni group this week in Ireland.
While the alumni headed to a Killarney pub Wednesday night, Pitino and his wife Joanne stayed in their hotel room to consider the Nets' offer.
``We stayed up all last night,'' he told The Associated Press. ``We were quite confused, trying to play out in our heads all the mental aspects of the choice to be made.''
He said after getting the advice from his wife, ``The decision became easy. It was the only conclusion I could come to.''
Pitino also rejected a suggestion he might consider an offer from another NBA team.
``I honestly believe I'll be here in Kentucky for the duration,'' he said.
Many Kentuckians believed Pitino would leave, particularly after finally getting his national title this year.
And Pitino played that to the hilt.
As he boarded the bus for Ballybunion golf course Thursday morning, he told his 36 companions: ``Some of you may not like the news I'm about to tell you.''
As the golfers held their breath, Pitino continued.
``You're stuck with me for another year,'' he said.
``Then we all hugged,'' he added as he told the story over the telephone. ``It was an extremely emotional moment.''
Some of Pitino's associates in Kentucky had been more optimistic.
``Certainly, there are a lot of reasons for him to stay here at the University of Kentucky,'' said UK sports information director Tony Neely. ``He seems to be very, very happy here. He's indicated that on many occasions, and I think that probably played a big role in his decision to stay.''
The Nets reportedly offered Pitino a deal worth $20 million, plus stock in the team valued up to $10 million. Rowe had said it was less, but still would make Pitino the highest-paid coach in the NBA.
On Wednesday, Pitino said that he was close to making up his mind and would have a statement Monday or Tuesday. Obviously, that schedule was speeded up.
The Nets were disappointed Pitino rejected their lucrative offer.
``The team's ownership made a very serious and aggressive offer to Coach Pitino. It was an offer that would have given him complete control of our basketball operation and made him the highest-paid coach in the NBA,'' the team said in a statement.
``We wish him the best of luck in the future at Kentucky and perhaps our paths may cross sometime in the future.''
UK athletics director C.M. Newton, attending a meeting at NCAA headquarters in Overland Park, Kan., said in a statement: ``Obviously, I'm excited that Rick has decided to stay at the university. I appreciate his openness and straightforwardness in the way he has dealt with this situation.''
LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. Rick Pitino, shown here with former Wildcat Anthonyby CNBEpps (left), turned down a five-year offer estimated at up to $30
million from the NBA's New Jersey Nets on Thursday.