If Rick Pitino leads St. John’s to a national championship in San Antonio next month, he won’t just be celebrating another title—he’ll be rewriting history. That’s according to basketball analyst Dan Dakich, who boldly claims that a third NCAA championship with a third different program would cement Pitino as the greatest college basketball coach of all time.
In a recent interview with TMZ Sports, Dakich left no room for debate, stating, “Three different schools, three banners? Greatest coach in the history of college basketball.”
Pitino’s Championship Pedigree
Pitino’s coaching legacy is already one for the record books. He first captured a national title in 1996, leading Kentucky to victory over Syracuse. Then, in 2013, he guided Louisville to a championship win against Michigan. He remains the only coach to have won NCAA titles at two different schools—a feat that has long set him apart from his peers.
But if he pulls off a third championship with St. John’s, Dakich insists it would place him ahead of coaching legends like Mike Krzyzewski and John Wooden.
The Road Ahead for St. John’s
Pitino’s squad faces a daunting path to the title, starting with a tough showdown against John Calipari’s Arkansas team on Saturday. If they survive that, a potential battle with No. 1-seeded Florida looms large.
Despite the challenges, if Pitino can lead the Red Storm to the mountaintop, Dakich believes it’s time to crown him the greatest to ever do it.
Would a third title for Pitino put him above Coach K and Wooden? The debate is on.
