“Al Pacino on the left, Rick Pitino on the right. Two guys that can not! be! shaken! down!” Gus Johnson exclaimed as the St. John’s head coach led another one of his teams to a regular season championship in 2025. There was no lie there. Pitino looked like him, remained reluctant much to the qualities of the young Godfather, and those locker room speeches? Any Given Sunday!
Let’s dig in deeper and take a look at his cultural roots.
What is Rick Pitino’s ethnicity?
Rick Pitino is from one of the elite groups of Italian-Americans and he never fails to embrace that very fact. The 72-year-old has uncovered his love of Italian heritage, including his love for Italian cuisine.
Rick’s devotion to sports during his youth led him to admire skilled players, including legendary NFL coach Vince Lombardi. “Vince Lombardi growing up was always a guy that we always looked up to as Italian coaches,” Rick stated in an interview. His love for Italian food is so much that Rick himself published a cookbook featuring his favorite recipes.
So proud of my RJ! pic.twitter.com/SHonef0CH6
— Rick Pitino (@RealPitino) March 2, 2025
Following in the footsteps of Vince, Rick has been one of the most decorated coaches in basketball history, guiding teams to the NCAA Final Four. His biggest achievements include winning a national championship with Kentucky in 1996 and another with Louisville in 2013. His ability to rebuild programs.
and turn them into formidable opponents has made him one of the most respected coaches.
What is Rick Pitino’s nationality? Where was he born?
Born on September 18, 1952, Rick Andrew Pitino grew up in New York City, An American basketball coach and former collegiate player Rick Pitino has several siblings, including a sister Jacqueline and brothers named Chris, Mike, and Ryan. However, detailed information about his siblings is not there in publicly available sources.
(not publicly available)
What religion does Rick Pitino follow?
Rick is a follower of Roman Catholicism and his belief in his religion is significant, especially during tough times. Even former commissioner of the Big East Conference, Mike Tranghese noted that when both Rick and his wife Joanne were facing some hardships, it was their faith in their religion that restored it to normal. “Rick and Joanne are both Catholic, and I think it was faith [that pulled them through],” Mike said.
Apart from that, the 72-year-old gives back to the community, in 2024 Rick collaborated with Fr. Bradley establishing a shelter named in honor of his late son, Daniel Pitino. The initiative provided emergency housing and a soup kitchen for the homeless in Owensboro.
Overall, Rick has also been associated with Catholic educational institutions throughout his career, one notably being Iona University a catholic school, where he served as a Head Coach from 2020 to 2023.
The post What Is Rick Pitino’s Ethnicity & Religion? Digging Deeper Into St.John’s Coach’s Nationality and Family Background appeared first on EssentiallySports.
