Rick Pitino, Louisville Agree to New Contract: Latest Details and Reaction

Louisville announced a contract extension Tuesday for head basketball coach Rick Pitino that will keep him with the program for another decade through the 2025-26 season.  

Kenny Klein of the Cardinals athletic department confirmed the new deal:

Fred Cowgill of WLKY provided details about the full value of the contract:

"When we started discussing this about six weeks ago, I started going on my fingers how old I was," Pitino said, via Jeff Greer of the Courier-Journal. "I said, 'Tom, do you really think I'll live that long?'"

Pitino, 62, took over the Louisville job in 2001.

He previously held head coaching positions with Boston University, Providence and Kentucky, as well as in the NBA with the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics. He was elected into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013 for his coaching accomplishments. 

Since taking over the Cardinals, he's led the program to 12 NCAA tournament berths, three Final Four appearances and a national championship in 2013. His overall record is 368-126 (.745 winning percentage) across 14 seasons.

He's helped build Louisville, which hadn't made the Final Four since 1986 prior to his arrival, back into one of the nation's top college basketball destinations.

Locking him into a long-term contract helps bring further stability to the program. That's a factor that usually plays a role for top high school players, and his track record also helps when trying to win those recruiting battles.

Giving Pitino a new deal that carries him into his 70s might raise some eyebrows, but he's showed no signs of slowing down as he patrols the sideline. The program remains in the hands of a coach with proven ability to generate consistent success.