Andy Beshear Podcast

Episode: Coach Rick Pitino, Leadership Lessons, and More Bad Bunny

Date: February 12, 2026
Host: Andy Beshear
Guest: Rick Pitino (St. John’s Head Basketball Coach), John Rabinowitz, John McConnell, Lila Bashir

Episode Overview

This episode features an in-depth conversation between Andy Beshear and legendary basketball coach Rick Pitino, with a focus on leadership, building and adapting teams, college basketball, personal growth after adversity, and reflections on bridging divides in today’s society. The discussion also touches on culture and inclusivity (with nods to Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl show), handling success vs. adversity, and the unique evolution of sports in America. The latter part includes Andy’s regular conversation with the “Johns” on current events, political culture, and finishes with a lighthearted lesson on Gen Z slang.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening and Coach Pitino’s Recent Success

• St. John’s 10th Straight Win & Family Rivalry (02:39–04:09)

  • Pitino recounts the drama of beating his son Richard’s team in overtime.

  • Memorable coaching moment: When Richard advocated for a defensive switch in a crucial game, proving his basketball acumen even as an assistant.

    "He said, Dad, we've got to get out of the matchup... When you sit in this seat, you'll make those decisions. Just stand down... Then we win the game. He grabs me and says, ‘You can thank me later,’ and we go to a Final Four." — Rick Pitino (03:23)

2. Challenges in Modern College Basketball

• Player Turnover, Transfer Portal, and NIL (04:34–06:32)

  • Discusses the difficulty of rebuilding rosters annually due to new transfer and NIL rules.

  • Notes the influx of G League, European, and pro-level players raising the level of competition.

  • Observes that financial incentives have made college an attractive alternative for global talent.

    "The toughest thing about college basketball today for me is not the portal, it's not the NIL. It's getting eight and nine new players every year with no continuity at all... But we're meshing now." — Rick Pitino (05:01)

• Retaining Players and NCAA’s Role (05:08–06:32)

  • Both agree the product on the floor is at an all-time high, but worry about the instability caused by annual player movement.

3. Kentucky and Louisville Rivalries, Redemption, and Lessons Learned

• Returning to Kentucky and Career Reflections (06:45–08:54)

  • Pitino nostalgically describes his Kentucky tenure as “Camelot,” acknowledges the rough end at Louisville, and owns up to mistakes in hiring and trust.

    "I deserve to be fired because my assistant coaches did the wrong thing… learned a valuable lesson: who to hire, who to trust, what to believe in." — Rick Pitino (07:16)

• International Coaching Perspective

  • His experience coaching in Greece sharpened his understanding of high-pressure environments and cultural differences in sports fandom. (08:13–08:54)

4. Player Well-Being and Legacy

• Derek Anderson’s Injury: Coaching with Compassion (08:54–10:16)

  • Pitino explains putting Anderson’s long-term health over short-term victory, a decision he stands by, exemplifying his 'player-first' approach.

• Defining a Coach’s Legacy (10:34–11:46)

  • Emphasizes that true legacy is not wins but the impact on players and assistants.

    "Your legacy is your players... I'm a tough guy to play for... My players don't fear me. They fear the consequence of not working hard." — Rick Pitino (10:45; 11:17)

5. Practice Culture, Team Building, and Best-Of Debates

• Demanding Effort: The Midnight Practice (12:11–12:59)

  • Illustrates his standards by describing a midnight post-game practice after a lackluster win.

  • Believes his ‘96 Kentucky team is among the best ever.

    "We practiced at midnight... And they never let that happen again." — Rick Pitino (12:26)

• Early Career and Jamal Mashburn’s Recruitment (14:31–15:33)

  • Mashburn’s commitment during UK’s probation period altered the program; the two maintain a business partnership.

6. Comparing College and NBA Coaching

• Changing Roles: Mentor vs. CEO (16:15–17:39)

  • Contrasts coaching styles: College requires mentorship and character building; NBA is executive management with less personal influence on players’ lives.

    "In the pros, you're like the CEO... In college, totally different. You're trying to mold young men into men… You're a mentor, a close friend... develop their character as well as their game." — Rick Pitino (16:44)

7. Leadership, Motivation, and Adapting With Generations

• Evolving Philosophy (19:10–21:46)

  • Pitino stresses adapting coaching styles to societal and generational changes; parents and players today need different motivation than in the 90s.

    "The key to coaching and being a leader is you must adapt with the times... Today I coach differently than at Kentucky. You have to understand the motive behind these basketball players." — Rick Pitino (19:27)

• Richie Farmer Story: Creative Motivation (20:10–21:05)

  • Used a psychological "Jedi mind trick" to keep Farmer from quitting, highlighting empathy in leadership.

8. Bridging Divides in Sports and Society

• Speaking Out for Unity and Respect (21:46–24:13)

  • Pitino advocates for embracing difference, mutual respect, and focusing on common goals — paralleling running a team and running a country.

  • Says American leadership should emphasize unity and the greater good, not rigid partisanship.

    "The right's not correct and the left's not correct. What's correct is the United States of America... Difference of opinion is great... but you've got to motivate them to be the best they can possibly be." — Rick Pitino (24:13)

• Inclusivity and Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Show (25:06–25:50)

  • Affirms the importance of multiculturalism and celebrates Spanish-speaking artists’ impact.

  • Praises Bad Bunny’s performance for promoting love over hate.

    "I love the fact he brought Puerto Ricans and the Latino community... It wasn't about speaking English; he took us through what they went through and their culture. It was great...” — Rick Pitino (25:17)

9. Politics in Coaching & Team Values

• Keeping Politics Out, Teaching Voting (26:28–27:22)

  • Pitino avoids discussing politics with his players; encourages civic participation.

    "I asked them all to do me a favor in the last election. I asked them to vote... I didn't ask them who they voted for... But I want them to vote. I don't speak politics to them at all. I don't think that's fair." — Rick Pitino (27:22)

• Core Values: Truth and Accountability (28:30–30:12)

  • Stresses honesty above all:

    "If you tell the truth... your problems become part of your past. When you lie, your problems become part of your future..." — Rick Pitino (28:30)

• Team Rules and Personal Discipline

  • Direct, open talks with players about avoiding drugs and alcohol as part of his team culture.

10. Success vs. Adversity & The Dangers of Ego

• Humility and Handling Success (30:46–31:56)
  • Maintaining humility post-victory is harder than managing adversity.

    "Ego from a spiritual sense is edging God out. Ego from a basketball athletic standpoint is edging greatness out... Humility is the greatest word in the dictionary." — Rick Pitino (31:07)

11. Legacy Reflections & Billy Donovan’s Transformation

• Most Satisfying Coaching Story: Billy Donovan (32:03–35:04)
  • From nearly cut to Final Four star, Donovan exemplifies maximizing potential.

    "He worked so hard like nobody I've ever witnessed in my lifetime… Pillsbury Doughboy to a pro, All-Big East player." — Rick Pitino (33:36–34:50)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Quote | Speaker | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|-----------| | "When you sit in this seat, you'll make those decisions. Just stand down... you can thank me later." | Rick Pitino | 03:23 | | "It's getting eight and nine new players every year with no continuity at all." | Rick Pitino | 05:01 | | "I deserve to be fired because my assistant coaches did the wrong thing… learned a valuable lesson..." | Rick Pitino | 07:16 | | "Your legacy is your players... My players don't fear me. They fear the consequence of not working hard." | Rick Pitino | 10:45/11:17| | "We practiced at midnight... And they never let that happen again.” | Rick Pitino | 12:26 | | "The key to coaching and being a leader is you must adapt with the times." | Rick Pitino | 19:27 | | "The right's not correct and the left's not correct. What's correct is the United States of America." | Rick Pitino | 24:13 | | "I love the fact he brought Puerto Ricans and the Latino community... It wasn't about speaking English..." | Rick Pitino | 25:17 | | "If you tell the truth... your problems become part of your past. When you lie, your problems become your future."| Rick Pitino | 28:30 | | "Ego from a spiritual sense is edging God out. Ego from a basketball athletic standpoint is edging greatness out."| Rick Pitino | 31:07 |

Additional Segments

Conversation with the Johns: Sports & Politics Recap

(35:29–47:26)

• Recap of the Pitino interview and his impact on Kentucky.
• Discussion of reunion invitations and unity in the National Governors Association.
• Reactions to the Super Bowl’s halftime show (Bad Bunny): lauded as a cultural moment that rose above language and politics.
• Commentary on divisive political rhetoric and the need for principled, inclusive leadership.

"What a halftime show… and for all the detractors that said there wasn’t English in it, it was up on the scoreboard — love being more powerful than hate... Bad Bunny for the win for sure." — Andy Beshear (39:13)

• Candid discussion on recent inappropriate political social media posts and disappointment in response from party officials (40:17–41:29).
• Reflections on new trends in candidate recruitment, especially veterans and blue-collar backgrounds.

Gen Z Lingo: "Cooked" and "Cooking"

(49:23–51:36)

• Lila Bashir teaches the group that "cooking" means doing really well, while "cooked" means finished, failed, or done.

"Cooking is like you're killing it... and 'cooked' is like, it's over, you're done." — Lila Bashir (50:04)

• Fun anecdote: John Rabinowitz’s failed Star Search audition is used as an example of being “cooked.”

Important Timestamps

• 02:39 – Pitino on beating his son’s team and the roots of coaching decisions
• 04:34 – The struggles of roster continuity in college basketball
• 06:45 – Reflection on Kentucky/Louisville tenures and lessons learned
• 08:54 – Player welfare & the Derek Anderson decision
• 10:34 – Pitino’s philosophy on legacy
• 12:26 – Midnight practice: demanding accountability
• 16:15 – NBA vs. college coaching
• 19:10 – Leading in a changing world: adapting leadership style
• 20:10 – Richie Farmer story & creative motivation
• 21:46 – Calling for unity and shared national goals
• 25:06 – Celebration of Bad Bunny and multicultural inclusivity
• 26:28 – Politics in coaching + value of voting
• 28:30 – Teaching truth as core value
• 30:46 – Handling ego and success
• 32:03 – Billy Donovan: maximum potential story
• 35:29 – Conversation with the Johns: Pitino, sports, and political culture
• 39:13 – Super Bowl halftime reflection
• 49:23 – Gen Z slang: “cooked” and “cooking”

Tone and Style

• Reflective, honest, conversational, and generous with personal anecdotes.
• Emphasis on growth, humility, and practical wisdom in both coaching and civic leadership.
• Welcoming of diverse perspectives, with humorous and warm rapport among guests.

Summary

This episode stands out for its rich interplay of sports history, hard-won leadership wisdom, and timely commentary on both pop culture and the state of American unity. Rick Pitino’s candor about personal and professional errors, his evolving leadership style, and his passion for inclusivity illustrate how lessons from the basketball court can translate into broader societal healing. The lighthearted Gen Z slang segment provides an uplifting close, rounding out an engaging and multifaceted episode.