Report: Rick Pitino's Son Richard 'Top Candidate' to Become Next Louisville CBB HC

The Louisville men's basketball team reportedly could tab a familiar face to be its next head coach.

According to Joey Demling of 247Sports, "multiple sources" said that Richard Pitino, the son of former Louisville Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino, "has emerged as a top candidate to become the head coach" of the Cardinals.

Demling added that Louisville athletic director Josh Heird has been in contact with the younger Pitino "several times over the past few days." The Cardinals are seeking a new head coach after firing Kenny Payne two weeks ago following a two-year tenure with the team that resulted in a combined 12-52 record.

Pitino, who served as head coach at New Mexico for the past three seasons, is coming off a stellar campaign in which he led the Lobos to a 26-10 record and their first Mountain West tournament championship and NCAA Tournament appearance since 2014. The team was eliminated by Clemson in the first round.

Pitino also spent time as an assistant coach at Louisville under his father from 2007 to 2009 before accepting a position on Florida's coaching staff under Billy Donovan. He returned to the Cardinals as an associate head coach for the 2011-12 campaign during their run to the Final Four.

After a one-year stint as head coach of Florida International, Pitino was hired by Minnesota in 2013 and found immediate success. He led the Gophers to the NIT championship in his first year and two NCAA Tournament appearances before his departure in 2021.

Demling noted that Heird initially targeted Baylor's Bryce Drew to replace Payne, but he was informed that Drew would be staying with the Bears. He then pivoted to Florida Atlantic's Dustin May, but May was hired by Michigan to replace Juwan Howard.

Pitino's name reportedly "emerged in recent days" and he "appears to be one of the leading candidates for the open position" along with Indiana State coach Josh Schertz. Other candidates reportedly in the mix are Charleston's Pat Kelsey and Seton Hall's Shaheen Holloway.