“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! The Internet had a field day with the comparisons. But what’s making the case even stronger?
Let’s take a look at the Hall of Fame Coach’s cultural roots.
What is Rick Pitino’s ethnicity?
Rick Pitino is of Italian descent, and he never fails to embrace that very fact.
As a young sports enthusiast growing up, he has often looked up to the players of his own heritage paving their way, 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.
Following in the footsteps of Vince, Rick has been one of the most decorated coaches in basketball history, guiding three different programs to NCAA Final Four and two to National Championship– Kentucky in 1996 and Louisville in 2013. He was also inducted into the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame in 1999– an institution that honors US athletes of Italian decent.
What is Rick Pitino’s nationality? Where was he born?
Born on September 18, 1952, Rick Andrew Pitino grew up in New York City. He was surrounded by a large family with several siblings, including a sister, Jacqueline, and brothers named Chris, Mike, and Ryan. However, detailed information about his siblings is not publicly available.
What religion does Rick Pitino follow?
Rick is a follower of Roman Catholicism and his belief in his religion is significant. 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 normalcy. “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 believes in giving 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.