Louisville’s Athletic Association officially fired coach Rick Pitino ‘with just cause’ on Monday nearly three weeks after the school acknowledged that its men’s basketball program is being investigated as part of a federal corruption probe.
Pitino was placed on unpaid administrative leave on September 27 after the FBI investigation uncovered an alleged plot to bribe five-star recruit Brian Bowen with $100,000 to secure his commitment to Louisville. Pitino has maintained his innocence and in an affidavit presented by his attorney on Monday, the Hall of Fame coach claimed he ‘had no part – active, passive or through willful ignorance’ in the alleged bribery scheme.
Pitino, who was not present at Monday’s meeting, has not been charged with any crime.
Former Louisville coach Rick Pitino (seen here during a June 15 press conference) did not attend Monday’s meeting where the school’s athletic board fired him with just cause
‘I do not dispute ULAA’s right to terminate my employment at its discretion,’ Pitino’s affidavit stated. ‘But I vehemently reject its right to do so ‘for cause.’ I have given no ’cause’ for termination of my contract.
‘I had no reason to know about the conspiracy described in the complaint, and no reason to know about the complicity of any UL assistant coach or staff member in any bribery conspiracy,’ the affidavit continued. ‘I never have had any part – active, passive, or through willful ignorance – in any effort, successful or unsuccessful, completed or abandoned, to pay any recruit, or any family member of a recruit, or anyone else on a recruit’s behalf, as an inducement to attend UL.’
Bowen, a freshman, has since been suspended indefinitely by the school and has retained an attorney in an effort to gain reinstatement. He has not been charged with any wrongdoing.
Louisville previously placed assistants Kenny Johnson and Jordan Fair on paid administrative leave, the latter of whom has since been fired.
On Monday, Pitino attorney Steve Pence presented a 55-page document that included several letters of support, including one from Pitino’s replacement, interim Louisville coach David Padgett.
Steve Pence, attorney for basketball coach Rick Pitino, speaks to reporters following the closed door meeting of the Louisville Athletics Association on Monday
The document also included the results of a polygraph allegedly indicating that Pitino was not deceptive in answering questions regarding the recruitment of Bowen.
Pitino did admit to being in touch with Adidas representative James Gatto, the company’s director of global sports marketing who was charged with fraud and money laundering in the alleged bribery plot. However, Pitino insisted he never discussed improper benefits with Gatto.
‘ULAA’s October 4, 2017 letter to me says that I should have known about any assistant coach or staff member’s complicity in the bribery matter,’ the affidavit states. ‘I reject that assertion. No reasonable level of oversight – including the oversight that President Postel and AD Jurich recommended and that I implemented – can guarantee that staff members will always act properly.’
The fact that Pitino was fired ‘with just cause’ is significant because it means Louisville has no plans on paying him for the remainder of his contract. Had Pitino been fired without cause, he would have been owed between $44 million and $55 million according to Bleacher Report.
The move Monday officially ends Pitino’s 16-year tenure with the program, a run that included winning the 2013 NCAA championship but was tarnished by several embarrassing off-court incidents.
Brian Bowen (left after committing to Louisville and right playing at La Lumiere School in Indiana) is reportedly the recruit whose family received a $100,000 bribe
In fact, Pitino – one of the highest-paid basketball coaches in the world with a $7.7 million annual salary – had already been suspended for the first five games of the season after it was revealed that strippers were provided to basketball recruits by basketball operations director Andre McGee. Louisville is appealing that decision, but the school may ultimately be forced to vacate dozens of wins and the team’s 2013 national championship if the NCAA’s ruling is not overturned.
Pitino reportedly pocketed as much as 98 percent of the school’s five-year, $39 million deal with Adidas while leaving less than a million for the school and the program.
In August, Louisville signed a new 10-year, $160 million with Adidas that has since come under scrutiny in the wake of the FBI’s ongoing investigation. Postel previously told reporters he will review the contract and may ultimately opt out of the deal.
Acting University of Louisville President Greg Postel fired Pitino ‘with cause’ on Monday