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Villanova’s Kevin Willard Calls Years Under Rick Pitino ‘Miserable,’ Then Posts Public Praise

He later posted a note on X expressing gratitude for Pitino’s mentorship.

Overview

  • St. John’s routed Villanova 89-57 at Madison Square Garden, where Zuby Ejiofor logged a 16-point, 12-rebound, 10-assist triple-double to bolster the Red Storm’s Big East title push.
  • After the game, Kevin Willard described a decade working for Rick Pitino as “the most miserable experience,” saying he “feared for [his] life every day” and joking that Pitino cost him his hair.
  • Willard also credited Pitino’s unmatched energy, pointing to roughly 900 career wins and national championships as evidence of his intensity.
  • As the remarks went viral, Willard posted a clarification on X praising Pitino, thanking him for his first coaching opportunity, and emphasizing what he learned under him.
  • Willard served as an assistant under Pitino with the Boston Celtics from 1997 to 2001 and at Louisville from 2001 to 2007.