A University of Louisville official downplayed reports that coach Rick Pitino has emerged as a candidate to coach the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association.
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"He's not going anywhere," school spokesman Kenny Klein told The Courier-Journal in Louisville on Friday, adding that he had spoken to Pitino, who is in Florida.
A source close to Pitino told FOXSports.com that "Pitino would have no interest in taking that job," because of its undesirable location and the fact that it's just not a good NBA job.
The Kings went 17-65 this season, the worst record in the NBA.
The speculation about Pitino's status began with a report Thursday on Yahoo! Sports that said sources indicated Pitino had expressed interest in returning to the NBA and that the Maloof family, which owns the Kings, was receptive to the idea.
The online report said Pitino has spoken via telephone with at least one member of the Maloof family, though Kings co-owner Gavin Maloof denied to the newspaper that the team has talked with Pitino.
Pitino had a successful run coaching Boston University and Providence before his first taste of NBA coaching with the New York Knicks. He returned to the college ranks in 1989 to rebuild scandal-riddled Kentucky but left again in 1997 for a frustrating three-season run with the Boston Celtics.
Pitino just completed his eighth season at Louisville, where he is 200-72.
