Pitino on ESPN

[Roy Enrile <renrile@qualcomm.com>]

Yesterday, Pitino was the guest on "Up Close".  Here are some things that
were covered.

He (like Chris Wallace), kept saying that the draft is 14 deep, which is
better than he had thought.  He said the top guys are not as good as Van
Horn, and that even the number 14 player could become rookie of the year
(Quentin Richardson with his Pierce-Like game?).

He downplayed Walker and Pierce's current basketball skills saying
"they're both potentially outstanding players".  Pierce is young and
eventually turn into a very good player (Maybe he means Paul is available
for trade?), Antoine needs to have the endurance of Pippen or Karl Malone.

He said repeatedly that former players Billy Donovan and MASHBURN are his
favorites, and he thinks of them like sons.

He expected Gaston to take his offer of stepping down and terminating his
contract, but instead Gaston is supportive of him.  Pitino would have
coached in college or went to the C's front office, not another NBA team.

Gaston would like some roster changes (Pitino suggests 2 veterans).

He reacted to that College tournament commercial where coach K and his
wife are at a drive-in watching a replay of Laetner killing Kentucky.
Then the camera shows Pitino and some Kentucky fans in the next car
looking dejected (very original commercial).  He said Laetner should have
been ejected early for stepping on a Kentucky player's chest.

He was supposedly there to plug his new book, but was classy and just
answered basketball questions.  The interviewer was the only one to
mention the book.