Former Kentucky head coach Rick Pitino came to the defense of Mark Pope following last night’s humbling loss to Michigan State.
In an interview with Adam Zagoria, Pitino said he think this Kentucky team will be “a great basketball team.”
“I know [Pope] will get it going, there’s not a question in my mind,” Pitino told Zagoria.
Pitino also said he isn’t buying the $22 million NIL number that is being used against Kentucky.
Here is an excerpt from Zagoria’s article:
Pitino, who is close with Pope, isn’t necessarily buying the $22 million figure, however.
“First of all, everything is exaggerated,” Pitino said. “I hear these numbers and it’s not proven. Unless it’s proven, it’s not factual. So nobody said the payroll’s $22 million, nobody knows that, nobody’s confirmed that, so people can’t make up numbers.”
He added: “I’m close with Mark and I don’t believe in these numbers. I think everybody exaggerates these numbers. I know they do with us [St. John’s] and they do with every place.”
