Report: Pitino nixes UNLV

Steve Addy

Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2001 | 11:28 a.m.

Rick Pitino's "friends" say he is no longer interested in becoming the Rebels' next basketball coach, but the former Celtics coach hasn't told UNLV anything of the sort.

In fact, Pitino apparently has tentatively agreed to visit Las Vegas in mid-February to meet with UNLV officials and boosters, according to a Las Vegas source with intimate knowledge of the negotiations.

A report in today's Boston Herald cited "friends" of Pitino as saying he told them he was no longer seeking the Rebels job. The newspaper did not quote Pitino or the friends, nor did it specify when the friends had spoken with Pitino.

The Herald said Pitino told friends he was fearful that NCAA sanctions would make it too hard to win quickly at UNLV. The school is on probation through Dec. 12, 2004, and must endure limits on scholarships and recruiting for the next two years.

But if Pitino has pulled out, that's news to the Rebels, because he's scheduled to come to Las Vegas in roughly two weeks to meet with UNLV officials and prominent boosters, a source told the Sun.

Pitino has said publicly he wouldn't visit Las Vegas until after the college season, but agreed to visit after holding a daylong meeting with UNLV AD Charlie Cavagnaro on Jan. 17 in Miami. University president Carol Harter called the meeting "a sharing of ideas and philosophies," but said no job offer was made.

Attempts to reach Cavagnaro today were unsuccessful. He is out of town until Wednesday, his office said.

Having resigned as the Celtics coach and team president on Jan. 8, Pitino has joined CBS's broadcast team for the NCAA Tournament and said he'll weigh his coaching options after seeing which other openings occur.

The Kentucky and UCLA jobs might come open and Pitino would be the leading candidate for both posts. He has held preliminary talks with UCLA athletic director Pete Dallis.

However, those schools would have to make a strong offer to beat out UNLV. Sources say Rebels boosters have put together a package that could pay Pitino up to $2 million a year, including payment for TV and radio appearances, a Nike contract and other perks.

Meanwhile, UNLV's season continues under coach Max Good, who took over on Dec. 12 after NCAA sanctions led to the reassignment of former coach Bill Bayno. The Rebels are 9-4 under Good, heading into Saturday's noon game at Colorado State.